The Spirits Within
by SilvorMoon
Summary: Chapter 12 Up! Flamon rages out of control, but there might be something that can put him to rights if Kouji and Kouichi can trust their guide.
1. Now Reboarding

**_Disclaimer:_** The cast and concepts of Digimon Frontier belong to Disney and Toei Animation. The author claims no rights to them, and no profit is being made from this work. 

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Now Re-boarding

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By: SilvorMoon

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Takuya sprawled lazily between the roots of a great shade tree, staring up into its mazes of crisscrossing branches and gently shifting clusters of leaves. Slanting rays of afternoon sunshine peeked through, sending down ephemeral columns of gold that dappled the ground with points of fire. In a city like Tokyo, where every square foot of ground was precious, trees like this one were rare and special. Takuya had gotten fond of it. It had always been a good place to sit and rest or think, or climb if you were brave enough, but now it held more significance. It hadn't been that long ago that words like "environment" had sounded dead and abstract. Now even he could appreciate how the wood of the tree drew its life from the ground, the air, the water, and the fire of the sun. He could appreciate the beauty in the patterns of light and shadow cast by its branches. Two years ago, he wouldn't have slowed down long enough to look at any of that, much less bother to think about it... but two years ago, he'd been an entirely different person. 

*_It reminds me so much of the Digital World,_* he thought, and suffered a mental wince. *_Darn it, am I ever going to stop feeling this way? Now I know what it feels like to break up with a girlfriend or something. To love something so much you'd die for it, and then have to lose it anyway..._* 

Objectively, he knew the Digital World wasn't really lost. It was still exactly where it had always been, somewhere just around an existential corner, out of sight but close at hand. He just couldn't get to it anymore, and that rankled. 

*_It was a part of me, and I was a part of it. I don't see how I can be expected to just leave and never think about it again, or want to go back... Man, I'd give everything I own plus my left arm just to have another day there!_* 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming his way. He didn't bother to look up. He may not have had the improved senses of a Digimon anymore, but he _had_ learned to pay attention. After all this time, he knew his friends' footsteps when he heard them. 

"Hey, Junpei," he greeted. "How's it going?" 

"Pretty good. Got my test results today," Junpei replied. He picked out a comfortable spot next to the tree and sat down. "Hey, pal, why the long face? Something wrong?" 

"Nah, not really," he answered. "I was just... you know, thinking." 

"Ah," said Junpei. "About what?" 

"About the Digital World." 

"Oh. Yeah, I think about it a lot, too. You can't really blame us, can you?" 

"Not really." 

Takuya shifted position so he could talk to his friend face to face. While every one of the six Chosen Children had been changed by their experiences in the Digital World, it was easiest to see the changes in Junpei. In the last two years, he'd grown a few inches, and, due to the fact that he no longer tried to use candy as a substitute for companionship, he'd lost a few pounds. Even before any of that had been visible, though, people still noticed that something was different. He stood straighter, held his head up, smiled more often, laughed and joked easily. People noticed, even if they didn't at first realize what it was: the attitude of someone with absolute confidence in his abilities, who didn't fear anything anymore. His schoolmates had gradually become aware of the fact that he seemed to have given up in his desperate attempts to attract attention to himself, that he no longer resorted to bribes and begging to keep people around, and in short, that there was something different about him. When they questioned him about it, they never really got a straight answer - the closest he ever came to admitting the truth was to tell them he'd been struck by lightning. 

"You know, I just realized, it's almost our anniversary," Junpei said. 

"Huh?" Takuya's mind had been wandering again. 

"Our anniversary. You know - the day you and me and all the rest of us went to the Digital World. It happened exactly two years ago next week." 

"Wow. You know, you're right! Maybe we ought to get together and do something... except it'll be my brother's birthday again... and Kouji's parents' anniversary..." 

"We still ought to do something. We can't just let the most important day of our lives go by without noticing," said Junpei. "Let's talk to the others when they get here." 

"When _are_ they going to get here?" asked Takuya. "They're late." 

"Well, I talked to Izumi, and she said she's got a club meeting this afternoon. She won't be able to get here until they're done." 

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," said Takuya. "Man, she sure does stay busy. You're going to have to move a whole lot faster if you're going to catch her!" 

"Don't I know it," Junpei sighed. 

"Hey, don't give up! You'll win her over sooner or later. I have complete faith in you, buddy." 

"Thanks, man," said Junpei. "I just hope it's before we're both old and gray... Hey, look, I think someone's coming." 

Takuya stood up. "More like some two, if you ask me. Hey, guys, come pull up a root and have a seat." 

Down the path came two boys, identical save for their clothing. Even after all this time, the fun of having a twin hadn't worn off for Kouji and Kouichi. They doubted it ever would. 

"Hi, guys," said Kouji. "Having fun without us?" 

"Loads," answered Takuya dryly. "Can't you tell." 

"You ought to know better," said Kouichi with a small smile. "You should have waited for us." 

"Oh, please. The day Kouji there learns how to have fun will be the day I take off and fly away," said Takuya. 

"Hate to burst your bubble," said Junpei, "but if I remember right, you _have_ taken off and flown a few times. So have I, as a matter of fact." 

"Oh, well, then I guess I'll have to let it slide," answered Takuya, grinning. Kouji grinned back. The two boys had never lost their tendency to banter with each other; usually, the more they argued with each other, the more fun they were having. 

"So, has anyone seen Tomoki or Izumi yet?" asked Kouichi. 

"They're on their way, as far as I know," Takuya replied. "Junpei said Izumi's still at her language club meeting... I think Tomoki went to a soccer game with some buddies, but it should be just about over by now." 

"That's convenient," said Kouji. He began walking closer to the tree, but instead of sitting down, he jumped for a branch and began scrambling up the trunk. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Junpei. 

"I'm keeping a lookout," answered Kouji, casually hoisting himself onto a branch. "This is the best place to do it." 

"Don't you dare fall," said Kouichi. "Remember what happened _last_ time one of us did that?" 

"Don't worry," his brother replied. "If I fall, I'll make it a point to land on one of you." 

"Great. That really takes a load off my mind," said Takuya. 

"I'm moving," said Junpei. He got up and went to talk to Kouichi. "So, how's your mom doing?" 

"Great," Kouichi replied. "Ever since she got that new job, things have been so much better. It's great seeing her so happy. They're even talking about giving her a raise!" 

"That's fantastic," said Takuya. "Congratulate her for us." 

"Heads up, guys!" called a voice in the tree. "I think I see another member of our little family." 

Kouji's eyes weren't wrong. A few seconds later, the rest of the group could see Tomoki sprinting up the path, looking flushed and excited. 

"Hey, guess what?" he called. "My team won!" 

"Way to go, little guy," Takuya cheered. The nickname was a bit of a misnomer; Tomoki had grown up enough that there were only a few inches difference between him and Takuya, but old habits died hard. 

Tomoki continued with his happy monologue. "Everyone says I'm going to have to try out for the school team next year. I think I want to. What do you think?" 

"I think you oughta be able to make it no problem," said Takuya. "After everything we've done, what's a little soccer tryout?" 

"That's what I thought," answered Tomoki, grinning. 

"We'll all come see you play," said Junpei. "With us cheering you on, you can't lose, right?" 

While they were still talking, a new voice drifted in on the wind: "Hello, everyone! Waiting for me?" 

Junpei homed in on the voice like a compass needle towards the North Pole. "She's here," he said dreamily. 

Sure enough, Izumi came hurrying into view, her hair, skirt, and school bag all streaming out behind her. Judging by the light in her eyes, her meeting had been a successful one. 

"Great news, guys," she said. "I just got nominated!" 

"Nominated?" asked Kouji, sliding down the trunk of the tree. "For what?" 

"Club president, what else?" she answered happily. "I don't know if I'll actually make it or not, but just getting the nomination is so exciting!" 

"You'll win by a landslide," Junpei predicted. She gave him a smile that was half-tolerant, half- flattered. 

"Why, thank you," she said. "So, are we all here?" 

"All present and accounted for," said Takuya. 

"Great! We can get going, then," she said brightly. "I've been looking forward to this all day." 

"Who hasn't?" said Takuya. "I mean, between soccer and clubs and who knows what else, we're lucky to get an afternoon together at all." 

"I know what you mean," said Kouji. "It's just not like the old days, when we were all under each other's feet all the time." 

"Yeah, once _somebody_ started speaking to us," Takuya teased. "Heh, I still remember your first words to me: 'Hm.'" 

A few people laughed. 

"I wish we could go back," said Tomoki. "It's nice being together and all, but it's just not the same... and I miss all the friends we made back there. We haven't heard from any of them in a long time." 

"I guess it's just hard work getting in touch from another world." said Junpei, a bit glumly. 

"I wish I could go back," said Kouichi. "I barely got to see anything of it... and I wasn't really all there at the time, in more ways than one." 

"It's so strange," Izumi murmured. "Sometimes it feels like it all happened yesterday, and sometimes it feels like another lifetime ago." 

"And sometimes you just wake up in the mornings," said Kouji softly, "and you wonder if it really happened at all." 

There was a moment of pensive silence, as everyone turned their minds to that faraway world. Then.... 

_Beep, beep, beepity beep!_

"Darn cell phone," Takuya muttered. "Why does it always have to go off and spoil the mood?" 

_Beep, beep, beepity beep!_

"Well, answer and make it shut up," said Junpei. "Who is it, anyway?" 

"It had better not be my family calling me home," Takuya replied. "I refuse to give up my afternoon to clean my room or something." He pulled out his phone and checked his caller ID. "That's funny. According to this, there's nobody there." 

_BEEP, BEEP, BEEPITY BEEP!_

Everyone jumped as all their phones rang at once. They all stared at each other. 

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Kouichi. 

The phone beeped again, and Takuya pressed the talk button just in time to hear a familiar and annoyed voice say, "...don't you answer? Do you realize how much _trouble_ it is to call from this distance?" 

"Bokomon!" Takuya exclaimed joyfully. "Hey, buddy, we hear you loud and clear!" 

"Oh, thank goodness!" said Bokomon. "I was starting to wonder if I'd done something wrong." 

"Man, is it ever good to hear from you!" said Takuya. "How have you been? How are the Angels? How are things in the Digital World? How-" 

"I can only answer one question at a time," Bokomon interrupted, "and I'm sure I can't answer all of them on the phone. There's a limit to how long we can keep this channel open, so I have to get right to the point." 

A voice in the background said, "Is that them? I wanna talk to them! Let me play with the phone, too!" 

Izumi giggled. "Hi, Neemon. Nice to hear from you again, too." 

"No, you may not play with the phone! This is serious business! If you keep interrupting, we'll run out of time!" said Bokomon impatiently. "You can talk to them _after_ they get here." 

"Get there?" Kouichi asked eagerly. "Does that mean...?" 

"Yes, it does. The truth is... there are a lot of people here who would like to see you again, so the Great Angels have agreed to bring you back for a short stay. That is, if you'd like to come." 

"Would we like to?" Junpei said incredulously. "Man, there's nothing we wouldn't do to come back!" 

"Then here's what you have to do. Listen carefully! We can only keep the passage open for a very short time. You _must_ be on the elevator at the Shibuya station tomorrow afternoon between 5:23 and 5:28. If you aren't all in that elevator within that five-minute span, the wormhole will close, and you won't go any further than the basement of the train station, and we probably won't be able to scrounge up enough energy to open another portal for another two years. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Clear as crystal," said Kouji. "Don't worry. We won't let you down, Bokomon!" 

"You never have before," Bokomon replied. "I'll be expecting you at the Light Terminal tomorrow! I'm setting a timer for you now." 

There was a beeping noise, and everyone looked down at the screens of their phones showing a twenty-four hour countdown. The seconds began to tick by. Takuya looked down at the slowly lowering numbers and nodded. 

"We'll be there! Don't worry about a thing!" he said. "See you then!" 

Just before the connection cut off, the children were treated to the sound of a pair of Digimon voices singing, "They're coming back! They're coming back! They're coming back!" 

"I hadn't realized until now just how much I missed them," said Kouji. 

Takuya was gazing off into space, smiling faintly. 

"We're going to see Trailmons again," he said. "We're going to see the Digimon, and the Angels, and the terminals and castles and everything... Can you believe it? We're going home!" 

~*~

Almost twenty-four hours later, the group met again beneath the old shade tree, but this time, the atmosphere was very different. Instead of bored waiting, everyone was in a state of high excitement. Takuya couldn't sit still; he was walking circles around the tree and had been for so long that there was a path visible where he'd trampled the grass down. Izumi kept going through her overnight bag to make _sure_ she hadn't forgotten anything she wanted. Kouji was trying very hard to pretend he wasn't that excited, but he kept climbing the tree every few minutes to see if anyone else was there yet. Junpei was in an ebullient mood, laughing, talking loudly, telling jokes, pulling improbable things from thin air just for the fun of it. Such was the carnival atmosphere that Izumi even seemed to mind his flirting less than usual. Kouichi had a camera he kept fiddling with. 

"What's that all about?" Takuya asked. 

"It's to take pictures, of course," Kouichi replied. "What else would it be for?" 

"Who are you going to get to develop the film?" 

"Um," said Kouichi. "I totally forgot about that. We can't have outsiders finding out, but..." 

"Have no fear! Junpei is here!" said Junpei, joining the conversation. "I have just the solution. Behold! Nothing up my sleeves, and yet... presto!" He whipped out a small silver box and handed it to Kouichi. "A digital camera for the Digital World! Just take it home when you're done and plug it into your computer, and you can have all the pictures you want." 

"Wow, thanks!" said Kouichi. "You're a real friend, Junpei." 

"No thanks necessary. Just e-mail me a set when you're done, okay?" 

"Sure!" 

"You know," Izumi remarked to no one in particular, "you have to hand it to him. Sometimes he really comes through." 

"So are you finally going to start admitting you like him?" said Takuya with a leer. 

"Keep saying things like that, and _you'll_ be admitted to a hospital," she replied. "Especially don't say them around Junpei, or I'll _never_ get rid of him." 

Takuya grinned wickedly and raised his voice. "Hey, Junpei, you just missed it! Izumi was talking about you and she said she-" He stopped abruptly as Izumi stomped his foot. 

"She said she what?" asked Junpei, looking puzzled. 

"She said she wanted a copy of those pictures, too," said Takuya innocently. 

"Oh, sure. Anything for you, Izumi," answered Junpei agreeably. 

As he walked away again, Izumi glared at Takuya. 

"Just remember," she told him, "we're going to be spending the next couple of weeks in the digital wilderness. I can find ways of making things look like accidents." 

"I am as innocent as the spring rains," Takuya replied, and contrived to look angelic. 

"I know just the kind you're talking about," said Kouji. "The ones that show up out of nowhere and dump a load of cold water over your head. 

At last, the final member of their group trotted up, panting and wrestling with a duffel bag that was only half-zipped. 

"Sorry I'm late," Tomoki gasped. "My parents wouldn't stop asking questions. I wouldn't have gotten away in time if my brother hadn't bailed me out." 

"That's okay, you still made it," said Takuya. He glanced at his watch. "Man, and just in time, too - it's almost five now! We're going to have to book!" 

"Right," Kouji agreed, and broke into a run. Within a couple of steps, his twin caught up to him, leaving the others strung out in a ragged line behind them. 

"I don't know if we're going to make it in time," said Junpei, eyeing the timer. "We've got less than a half-hour to go." 

"Don't worry," said Takuya. "I know a shortcut. Just follow me!" 

"Are you sure about this?" asked Izumi, struggling to keep her bag in place. 

"Positive! Have I ever steered you wrong?" Hearing the uncertain silence behind him, he added, "I mean, when it was important!" 

"Other than nearly getting us all killed once or twice..." said Kouji. 

"Hey, I know what I'm doing this time! I've got a plan." 

"He worries me when he does that," Kouji said to no one in particular. The only one who heard was his brother, who laughed quietly. 

Takuya's shortcut led them down a narrow alley, over a bridge, and down a set of twisty side streets. The others looked doubtful, but Takuya never seemed to doubt his course. He clambered up a pile of crates and other garbage, leaping over a tall fence. 

"Are you sure about this?" asked Junpei, eyeing the rickety pile of junk with distrust. 

"It's the fastest way to the station," said Takuya. "Trust me." 

"I'll do it, but I won't like it," Junpei muttered. 

"Come on. It's not so bad," said Kouichi. He and Kouji had already scaled halfway up, as easily as if they were climbing stairs. Tomoki wasn't far behind. "If you don't hurry up, you'll be left behind." 

That was enough to spur him on. Tugging the strap of his bag more securely over his shoulder, he began to climb. The crates creaked and shifted every time he rested his weight on one; he might have dropped a few excess pounds over the last couple of years, but he'd made up for it in height and muscle, and he was still taller and heavier than any of the others. He was sweating, as much from nervousness as anything else, by the time he reached the top. Just as he reached the top of the fence and leaned forward to grab it, something shifted under his foot, and he was pitched face forward against the fence. He flipped over and landed hard on the ground. 

"Ow," he said vaguely. 

"You okay?" asked Takuya. 

Junpei was about to say, "Fine," but was cut off. Izumi had been preoccupied with her own climb, and hadn't seen him fall. She dropped down from the fence and landed on him. 

"Oof!" he said. 

"_Now_ are you okay?" Takuya asked, concerned. 

"I'll be... fine," he said, sounding slightly dazed. He started to move, realized belatedly there was someone sitting on him, and said, "Could you please get your hand off my... Oh, Izumi, it's you. Never mind - you can put your hand wherever you want." 

"Thanks," she said dryly. 

"Would you two stop goofing around?" asked Kouji. "Or did you realize we only have ten minutes left?" 

"Don't worry - it's just around this corner. Come on!" 

There was a scramble for everyone to recollect themselves. They hurried around the corner and were rewarded by the sight of the train station in the distance. The sight gave them new enthusiasm, and they redoubled their speed. The group blazed through the doors and made a mad dash for the elevator. 

"Hey, Kouichi!" Kouji shouted. 

"What?" 

"Do me a favor?" 

"Sure, what?" 

"Don't fall down the stairs!" 

"Don't worry, I won't!" 

"There it is! There it is!" Tomoki shouted. 

He pointed, and the others looked up to see their goal approaching. Takuya reached it first, skidding to a halt so fast that he nearly crashed into it. He hit the down button and waited. 

"Come on, you stupid elevator!" he muttered. "We've only got five minutes left!" 

"Uh, Takuya," said Kouichi slowly, "I don't think we're going to be riding this elevator." 

"Why not?" Takuya demanded. 

Kouichi pointed. Takuya looked. Everyone stared. There was a paper sign hanging on the elevator. It read simply, "Out of Order." 

"Aw, man, what are we going to do now?" Takuya moaned. "There's no time to find another elevator, and even if we did, it might not take us. I refuse to be blocked by a stupid elevator!" 

He kicked the elevator doors as hard as he could. There was a soft _ping_, and the door slid open. Takuya stared. 

"Get in, get in, get in!" Junpei urged, trying to shove everyone in front of him inside. Since everyone _was_ in front of him, it didn't take very long. It was a tight fit, but everyone made it inside just as the doors were closing. 

"What's the time, somebody?" asked Takuya anxiously. 

Izumi fished out her phone and looked. "Fifty-three seconds left. We just barely made it!" 

"Yahoo!" said Takuya. "See? I told you I'd get you all here!" 

The elevator went down. Everyone watched eagerly as the counter indicated the floors they passed... right up to the point where it ran out of floors and continued to drop. Now they could look through the windows and see layers of darkness flashing past, catching glimpses of areas other humans might never see. After what felt like an eternity, the elevator slowed, and they dropped into a vast empty terminal. The doors opened, and the children walked slowly out. Their footsteps echoed in the gloom. 

"Where is everybody?" asked Tomoki. "It looks so empty..." 

"Well, we're the only ones going this time, aren't we?" answered Kouji. "Still... it does seem awfully empty in here." 

"Where are the Trailmon?" asked Izumi. 

"Hey, that's right! That's what we're missing," said Takuya. "Aren't we supposed to have a ride or something?" 

"We didn't wind up missing the deadline after all, did we?" asked Kouichi nervously. 

"No, Bokomon's timer definitely hadn't run out," Izumi assured him. "Anyway, if it had gone wrong, we wouldn't be here. It's just that..." 

In the distance, there was a low rumble. They felt it under their feet long before it reached their ears, but as soon as they sensed it, they all turned to face the darkness ahead of them. 

"I see lights," said Kouji. 

"You would," said Takuya. 

"Here it comes!" Junpei exclaimed. 

Seconds later, there was a massive rush of steam and wheels, and a huge, toothy face loomed up out of the shadows. The children grinned as they recognized an old friend. 

"Hiya, Worm!" Takuya shouted. "Are we ever glad to see you again!" 

"Whoo-whoo! Stand back, 'cause I'm coming through!" the Trailmon roared. Everyone jumped back as the living train rumbled into the station. He flung his doors open wide. "Okay, folks, this is the round-trip express to the Light Terminal! All aboard who's going aboard!" 

"That's us!" Takuya shouted. 

There was a rush for seats. Takuya shoved his bag into an overhead compartment, and when he turned around, he found himself standing next to Kouichi. 

"Well, looks like we made it," said Takuya. "All ready to go?" 

"I think so," said Kouichi. "I mean, yes, I'm ready. I'm just really excited to actually be going there and seeing it all again. I didn't really get to see much of it last time... and most of what I saw had been ravaged by Cherubimon and Lucemon. I want to see it as it was truly meant to be." 

"Yeah. It'll feel good, going back. I mean, I know it won't be exactly the same," said Takuya. "Things have probably changed there. We've changed a lot, too." 

On the other side of the car, Junpei had staked out a chair and was waving to Izumi. 

"Hey! Over here! Come sit by me!" 

Kouichi looked at the performance, and then looked back at Takuya. 

"Really?" he asked. "How?" 

Takuya laughed. "Well, you know... some things never change. But the Digital World made us all into better people. All of us know a little more and care a little more because we were there. That's why we love it so much." 

"I think I know what you mean," said Kouichi. 

There was a gentle lurch, and the train began moving slowly forward. As it plunged into the darkness beyond the terminal, it picked up speed, until the vague scenery outside its windows became nothing but a gray and black blur. Then even that was gone, and the world inside and outside the car became equally black. 

"Hold on tight!" shouted the Trailmon. "We're going in!" 

There was an immediate scramble for everyone to grab on to something reasonably secure. Kouichi watched his friends with mild puzzlement. 

"What are we all hanging on for?" he asked. 

"Because," Takuya began, and then stopped talking as the whole car became suddenly vertical. Kouichi had to make a wild grab for the edge of his seat to keep from being pitched at the wall. 

"Because that might happen," said Kouji. 

"Everybody okay back there?" Worm called. "Forgot to tell you, this is a rough piece of track." 

"We noticed," said Junpei dryly. 

"I remembered," Takuya said, gingerly releasing his grip on the window. "The first time we were here, we all got bounced around like popcorn in a popper, and then..." 

He trailed off, staring. Everyone else, realizing something strange was happening stared back at him... and then at each other. Hovering over each of them was a familiar figure, semitransparent but real as the air, who seemed to smile as they rested a hand on a child's shoulder. A second later, they faded back into the shadows, leaving only the ghost of a sensation where their hands had been. Then that, too, faded, and the car was dark once more. 

"Did you see what I think I just saw?" asked Kouji. 

"I saw it," Takuya replied, "and I've seen it before. I think somebody's glad to see us back in the Digital World." 

The train burst out of the mouth of a tunnel, and everyone was momentarily dazzled by the late afternoon sunlight that streamed through the windows. Slowly, through a haze of golden light, they were able to make out rolling hills and clusters of verdant trees. Everyone clustered around the windows in time to see a scrap of whiteness drifting across the sky: not a cloud, but a cluster of Poyomon. 

"Congratulations," said the Trailmon. "You're officially in the Digital World. We'll be in the Light Terminal in about half an hour, so sit back and enjoy the ride!" 

They did. The first few minutes were spent pressing their faces to the glass, staring avidly out at the scenery, calling each other to notice this landmark or that one. Within a few minutes, the scenery had gone from clumps of trees and meadows to what seemed to be endless fields of white flowers. Having had their fill of wonders, the little group relaxed in contented silence. 

Just as the landscape was beginning to turn orange with the coming of sunset, they felt the train began to slow. Kouji, who had been half-dozing in his seat, got up and put his head out the window. 

"Heads up, guys," he said. "I think we're here!" 

He was right. Seconds later, the Trailmon rolled to a halt in a large stone building that could only be the Light Terminal. It was built of some kind of shiny white material that brought to mind marble or feldspar, gleaming vividly in the afternoon light. The whole of it could have been converted from an ancient ruin, or perhaps a cathedral; the high windows were filled with stained glass pictures of the Great Angels and representations of the ten elements. In the strong sunlight, they blazed so brightly, they seemed ready to move, casting pools of bright color on the floor. The effect was ethereally beautiful - or would have been if they could see it properly, because the station was jammed to its furthest corner with Digimon of every shape, size, and description. 

"What do you know?" said Kouji. "It looks like someone let on we were coming." 

"You can say that again," Junpei replied. 

When the train had arrived in the terminal, the building had echoed with the voices of excited creatures, but silence fell as soon as the compartment doors opened. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath in anticipation, straining for a glimpse of their human heroes. The children, somewhat awed, simply stared back. 

"Clear a path!" came an authoritative voice from the back of the terminal. "Clear a path for a servant of Seraphimon!" 

A path was cleared, and a small, pale figure made his way to the front. As he came nearer, the children recognized him as Sorcerymon, and they smiled as they recognized their dear old friend. As he reached them, he swept an elegant bow, doffing his peaked cap. He looked up and returned their smiles. 

"Welcome, children," he said warmly. "We are truly glad to see you all again." 

"We're happy to see you again, too, Sorcerymon," said Izumi. "Looks like you've made a full recovery!" 

"Thanks to your valiant efforts, yes. I am pleased to say I've been able to re-enter the service of my lord Seraphimon. He believed you might require an escort to Ophanimon's palace, and bid me meet you here and accompany you." 

Takuya started to say that after fighting their way through assorted dark Legendary Warriors and a couple of fallen angels, they shouldn't really need an escort anywhere. Then he took another look at the eager crowds that were pressing around and decided to hold his tongue. It was one thing to stand up to your enemies, and another thing entirely to have to defend yourself from well-meaning friends. 

"Thanks," he said. "We'd appreciate that." 

"Come, then!" said Sorcerymon, turning briskly and beckoning them to follow. "You have friends awaiting you at the palace... and I believe some of them grow impatient," he added with a hint of a laugh. 

Sorcerymon threaded a path through the crowd of Digimon, holding them off with carefully chosen words, with a few gentle prods of his staff to fend off the most persistent, and the children were allowed to pass by more or less freely. Still, going was slow, as someone would stop now and then to exchange greetings with a friend or accept well-wishes, and it took several minutes to cross a space that could have been covered in a few seconds under ordinary circumstances. Finally, they were able to exit the terminal and follow their guide towards the palace. 

"It's even more beautiful than I remember," said Izumi admiringly, looking up at the soaring ivory spires. 

"When last you saw it, I fear it had fallen into disrepair, since the lady of the palace was no longer in residence," answered Sorcerymon. "Now you are seeing it as it was meant to be seen." 

"So is Nefertimon back in business?" asked Takuya. "Last time we saw her, well... I mean, you're back, so she's back too, right?" 

"But of course. She is the heart of the palace and the keeper of its treasures," Sorcerymon replied. With a knowing smile, he added, "Actually, she is doing better than ever, now that she has acquired her assistants." 

"Assistants?" Tomoki asked. 

"Wait and see," the wizard Digimon replied. "Ah, here we are. I will leave you here at the gate for now, as I must assist with the preparations. You will have some time for a private visit before the festivities begin. This was supposed to be a quiet visit, but somehow word always gets out, and it seems half the Digital World has turned up to see you, and we have little choice now but to hold a grand celebration. You are to be entertained royally." 

"What does that mean?" Takuya asked his friends quietly. 

"It means they're going to have a big party, and everyone's invited, and they're probably going to feed us," Junpei translated. 

"Cool," said Takuya. "I could go for that!" 

They reached the doors to the palace and were bowed inside. They filed in slowly, reverently, taking in the sight of the familiar space. It had changed some since last they'd seen it: all the books were now stacked neatly on their shelves, several desks and tables had been set out on the main floor to aid in studying, and everything was clean and well-lit. The last light of sunset was still streaming through the windows, but someone had already lit several small lamps and a chandelier, so that the whole room seemed to glow. The vast room was silent... or almost silent. Very faintly, they could hear a small scratching noise, as of a pen on paper. 

"Hello?" called Kouichi. "Is somebody here?" 

There was a startled yelp. Everyone turned toward the source of the noise, and found themselves looking at a massive book propped on a pedestal. As they watched, a face appeared over its edge - a round, white, beaked face, that just now looked very glad to see them. At the sound of the noise, someone else peeked around the edge of the pedestal and gave a glad cry. 

"They're here!" he squealed, and ran to hug the first person he could reach. 

There were glad cries of "Bokomon!" and "Neemon!" as the children hurried to greet their old friends. For a moment, there was nothing but happy chaos as everyone talked and exclaimed at once. Izumi completely forgot herself and started babbling in rapid-fire Italian, preventing anyone from understanding a word of what she was saying. Bokomon hugged Takuya. Tomoki hugged Neemon. Neemon hugged Kouji. Izumi hugged Bokomon. Junpei hugged Izumi and got a glare for his troubles. 

"What did you do that for?" she demanded. 

"I dunno. Everyone else was doing it. I was hoping you wouldn't mind," he answered, blushing. 

"Oh, well," she said. "I guess since it's a special occasion, it doesn't really matter," she answered, and hugged him back. Then she quickly scooted off before anyone could see and tease her about it, but by that point, Junpei was in no mental shape to complain about it. 

"I knew you would come back," Bokomon was saying. "I just knew you'd come back sooner or later. Didn't I say that, Neemon?" 

"Umm... I don't remember," Neemon replied. 

Kouji chuckled. "Same old Neemon. So, what are you doing here? I thought you two lived in the Flame Terminal. Did you come up for the party?" 

"Well, no, actually," said Bokomon, "I live here now. I have a new job, you see. Seraphimon said it was the least he could do for me after I cared for his egg all that time. Just between you and me... if you want a good job in this world, it pays to be diligent, honest, loyal, and be on first-name terms with a Great Angel." 

"So you're working for him, now?" asked Tomoki curiously. 

"For Cherubimon, actually." 

Kouichi whistled. "There's a twist of fate!" 

"Not at all! He really is an agreeable sort, once you get to know him - not at all like he used to be. And since he _is_ the Keeper of Lore and Legends, and since those happen to be my specialty, I was appointed official researcher, historian, archivist..." 

"Know-it-all!" Neemon piped up. 

"Shut it," said Bokomon. "Ahem. As I was saying, my work here is to research the contents of the great library. It contains all the knowledge and history of the world, but since much of it has become disorganized and forgotten, it falls to me to comb it for lost information and report anything of use back to the Great Angels. Of course, it would be impossible for any one Digimon to gain all the knowledge in this library, but..." 

"Oh, I get it," said Takuya. "So you're Cherubimon's official paper-shuffler now." 

Bokomon gave him an affronted look, and Izumi stepped in to smooth things over. 

"It sounds like a very important job," she said, in her most flattering tones. "It must be a very great honor." 

"Yes, it is," answered Bokomon, mollified. "It's also, indirectly, what brings you here. You see... well, it's true that all of us here have been wanting to see you all again, but travel between the two worlds is a chancy thing. The Angels won't open up a portal for just any reason, so while I've been searching the books, I've also been searching for an excuse to bring you back. Eventually, I uncovered an old legend - one so old, there are few Digimon left who have heard even fragments of it. My sources told me of a collection of ancient tools, relics of the most ancient past. They are identified only as the Fabled Artifacts." 

"Let me guess," said Kouji. "You want us to go look for them." 

"That's the idea, yes," said Bokomon. "Ostensibly, anyway." 

"What's ostennible... ottensible... what's that?" asked Neemon. 

"It's a big word," Bokomon replied. "It means they're going to say they're doing something for one reason when they're really doing it for another." 

"Why would they want to do that?" 

Bokomon ignored his sidekick. "The Fabled Artifacts were used eons ago at the foundation of the Digital World to maintain its peace, order, and general well-being. However, as time passed, they were eventually lost and forgotten, or fell into the hands of wicked Digimon and became too corrupted to use. A few were evidently destroyed. There are seven remaining that I can positively identify: the Staff of Order, the Light of Love, the Pool of Knowledge, the Star of Guidance, the Blade of Courage, the Flutes of Peace, and the Shroud of Life. There may be others out there that there are no records of; it may be that some of these have already been destroyed, or are hidden too deeply to be found. Nevertheless, I persuaded the Angels that it would be for the good of the Digital World if they were found, and that anyone who can recover twenty Spirits can find seven Fabled Artifacts... or at least give it your best shot." 

"Sounds good to me," said Takuya. 

"The idea isn't necessarily that you find them all," said Bokomon. "It's really just an excuse to let you come back and let you explore a bit. The Angels understand this; no one will mind if you don't actually _find_ anything." 

"Hey, are you saying you don't think we can do it?" asked Junpei. "I say, after everything else we did, finding a bunch of old lost junk ought to be a piece of cake." 

"That was different," said Bokomon. "The Spirits chose you. They have wills of their own that helped you to find them when you needed them most. The Artifacts have no such wills. Of them all, only the Star of Guidance is said to be able to find its ideal owner. The others will obey anyone who has the will and knowledge to use them." 

"Well, I, for one, wouldn't feel right unless I gave it a real try," said Takuya. "We ought to be able to at least find _one_ Fabled Artifact before we go home." 

"Are you kidding? We ought to be able to find all seven," Kouichi said. "I'm game to try, anyway." 

"Well, that's settled, then!" said Bokomon brightly. "We set out first thing tomorrow morning. Everyone will be so pleased. I think the Angels were really sort of looking forward to having their Artifacts back again. After being reborn a time or two, they barely remember using them." 

"We'll bring them back!" said Tomoki. "All of us together can do _anything_." 

"History seems to bear that out," Bokomon replied. "And, speaking of which... I have a little something for all of you. Neemon, where did I put those books?" 

"Uhh... I dunno. In there with the other books, I think." 

"Oh, you're no help! Wait here a minute. I'm sure they're around here somewhere..." 

Bokomon jumped down from his pedestal and went scampering away into another room. After a few interesting scuffles, thumps, and antiseptic swearwords, Bokomon returned, staggering under the weight of a pile of books as tall as he was. The children hurried to help him, catching the pile just before he dropped it. He leaned against a shelf to catch his breath. 

"Whew! I had forgotten just how much I wrote," he said. "Anyway... since I _knew_ you'd be back someday, I used my spare time to make these for you. They're my records of our adventures together. I thought you might like them." 

"Wow!" said Takuya, taking a book off the top of the stack. "Thanks, Bokomon! This is great." 

"I can't think of a better present," Izumi added. 

Bokomon blushed, lowering his head modestly. "Well, I did promise you all I would write them. Never in the history of our world have humans been such good friends to Digimon, nor have they proven to be such brave warriors. You deserve it." 

The children voiced their thanks and began inspecting their new treasures. A happy babble of talk broke out as everyone leafed through the books, searching for their favorite moments, exclaiming as they rediscovered old memories. 

"Wow, I can't believe we did all this in just a few weeks," said Junpei, leafing through the thick volume. 

"Hey, Takuya, look at this!" said Tomoki. "This is where you evolved to Agnimon for the first time! That was the coolest thing I'd ever seen." 

"And here's where _you_ first turned into Chakmon - just in time to save my hide." 

"Remember this, Junpei? This is when you beat Grottomon and won my Spirit back for me." 

"How could I forget? See, here's when you turned into Shuutmon for the first time. Man, you were the most gorgeous thing I'd ever laid eyes on..." 

"And I'm not now?" 

"I didn't say that!" 

"Look at this! This is when we first..." Kouji and Kouichi trailed off, realizing they were talking in unison. Looking down, they saw they were holding their books open to the same page. Kouji looked at his twin and smiled. 

"When we first met," he finished. 

"As humans, anyway," said Kouichi. "Not that it was a brilliant first meeting, but..." 

"It was a start," Kouji said. 

"Do you two always do that?" asked Bokomon. 

"Do what?" asked the twins together. 

"That," Bokomon said. "Talk in unison. Finish each other's sentences." 

"Oh, that. Sure," said Kouji. "We didn't do so much of it at first, but..." 

"Now we do it all the time," finished Kouichi, grinning. "Me especially. I even feel it when he gets hurt... but why not? I mean, physically, we're identical. Why shouldn't we think and feel the same way sometimes?" 

"No reason I can think of," said Bokomon. "Still, if it were me, I'd get tired of it. So, do you find your gifts acceptable?" 

"They're awesome," said Tomoki. "Thanks, Bokomon! You're the best." 

"It was my pleasure," Bokomon answered. 

A bell chimed somewhere, echoing through the building. By some trick of acoustics, the echoes seemed to take on different pitches, creating harmonics until the air seemed to be filled with music. 

"That's the dinner bell!" Neemon exclaimed joyfully. "Soup's on!" 

"For the Legendary Warriors," said Takuya, "they'd better have something better than soup. Does anyone realize how late it's getting?" 

"Well, now that you mention it..." Junpei replied. "Yeah, I'm about to starve!" 

"Then let us adjourn to the festivities!" said Bokomon. 

Neemon blinked. "But I wanted to go eat!" 

"Come _on!_" 

Bokomon grabbed Neemon's waistband and dragged him off. The children followed behind them, grinning to each other and cradling their precious books. 

The path led down a long corridor, filled with glowing sconces and decorated with paintings of legends from days gone by. The children would have liked to linger and have a better look at them - after all, they had a personal interest in the Digital World's legends - but it had been a long day, and excitement had drained them. They were all hungry. It seemed only natural at the time that they see to their growling stomachs before they indulged in any sightseeing. Following along at the end of the line, Izumi paused just long enough to look at a picture that caught her eye. It depicted a lovely Digimon - it was hard to tell for sure, but its aspect seemed more feminine than masculine - holding something that glowed brightly in one outstretched hand. Behind her was another Digimon, looking battered, either dead or unconscious; before her was a pool of water that seemed to shine with its own light. A healing spring, perhaps? Izumi hadn't heard of such a thing on her travels, but in the Digital World, anything seemed possible... 

"Hey, what are you doing back there?" Junpei called. "You'd better hurry up, or someone might eat it all. Everybody and their uncle's coming to dinner tonight, remember?" 

"Oh, yeah! Right," she answered. Reluctantly, she abandoned the painting and trotted to catch up with her friends. 

Outside, they were met by a welcome sight. To accommodate the overflow of guests, some industrious group of Digimon had set up a collection of long tables, each of them laden with enough food to satisfy the heartiest appetite, with enough variety to supply even the pickiest eater... though it was hard to imagine anyone turning up their noses at anything that looked and smelled so good. The selection ranged from dishes that would have looked right at home on a kitchen table back in the Human World, on up to things that none of the children could identify. The field was ringed by rows of torches, tall posts topped with crystals that glowed with their own light, decorated with ribbons and garlands of flowers, encircling the grounds so that every corner of the party area was illuminated. Here and there were smaller tables surrounded by chairs, or piles of comfortable cushions suitable for sitting or reclining - all in all, the perfect setup for relaxing, circulating, and catching up with old friends. Over it all, the Digital World's three moons hung like giant party balloons, casting their soft glow over the assembled company. Hundreds of Digimon had gathered in the meadow, chatting with each other, eyeing the food, and waiting patiently for the arrival of their heroes. As the young warriors arrived, a hush fell over the crowd. Someone started to applaud, and someone else joined them, until the world seemed filled with the sounds of clapping and cheering. Then Seraphimon, seated at a table with his fellow Angels, stood and raised his hands, and the sound slowly quieted. 

"Our guests of honor," he said gravely. "It is our great joy to have you among us again. May you be welcomed in our world, and may all those whose paths cross yours be inspired by your courage, commitment, and goodness." 

There was a murmur of assent from the crowd. His blessing seemed to be a sign, and there was instant movement, like a wave moving toward the group of humans, with a small but persistent rip-tide moving toward the refreshment tables. 

Despite their best intentions, there was no way the children could avoid being separated. There were just too many old friends to greet. Within seconds, the group had scattered, as everyone picked out familiar faces and rushed to have words with them. Kouji exchanged enthusiastic greetings with a Gotsumon, while Tomoki found himself surrounded by a group that included a Datamon, several Toucanmon, and a Sepikmon who danced with joy at their reunion. It wasn't long before Kouichi found himself on his own. 

*_Not that its any reflection on me,_* he tried to tell himself, as he watched Izumi being swarmed by a group of Honeybeemon. *_It's just that I wasn't really in a position to make a lot of close friends for most of the time I was here. That wasn't my fault._* 

Trying to keep his spirits up, he circulated among the crowd, idly sampling the offerings on the buffet tables without much appetite as he chatted with whoever showed up to extend felicitations. He managed to have a halfway-decent conversation with Swanmon before she hurried off to tend to her babies, and visited a while with Baromon, who insisted he'd seen good fortune on Kouichi's future. He eavesdropped a bit on a conversation on Trailmons that Takuya was having with a pair of large canines, but too much of it seemed to hinge on an adventure Kouichi hadn't been present for and had heard about only patchily, and he had trouble following it. Eventually he gave up and wandered off. In another corner of the garden, he found Junpei surrounded by young Digimon, with a Tsunomon on one knee and a young Kokuwamon on the other, holding them spellbound with his feats of legerdemain. Kouichi watched for a while, but there was a large, spiky Togemon standing behind him who also seemed engrossed in the performance, and her presence was less than comfortable, so he regretfully walked away. He was just considering the dreary possibility that he might have to spend the evening on his own, when he turned around and nearly walked into someone's leg. 

He looked up. Filling his field of vision was a large, pink, furry something who was looking down at him with bright black eyes. Kouichi recoiled. His brain might have known this was a friendly presence, but his gut instinct was telling him to get _away_, fast, before it did something he wouldn't like. He forced himself to calm down and meet the being's gaze squarely. The Digimon continued to watch. 

"Kouichi," he said gravely. "It is good to see you are doing well." 

Kouichi worked up a smile. "Hi, Cherubimon. Good to see you're okay, too. How's everything been going for you?" 

"All is peaceful," Cherubimon replied. "Not that there are never disagreements, but Seraphimon, Ophanimon, and I have learned to solve our problems quietly." Seeing the expression on the boy's face, he laughed quietly. "Ah, I see you are surprised. Did you think that because we grew up together, we would all see the world as one? No, that is not my nature. We still have differences of opinion. The change is that I have learned to trust them - to trust that they want to work together with me, to trust that they want what is best for the Digital World. I have learned when it is best to stand my ground, and when it is better to compromise or to step down. We are all learning to see from each other's perspective. I have, at least, seen the folly in believing that there is one right way for all Digimon, or that one single Digimon can know what is best for everyone. After all, if one could, why would there be three Great Angels?" 

"Good point," said Kouichi. "Sounds like we've all come a long way since we first met. So, tell me... are you happy these days?" 

The question seemed to take Cherubimon aback; he gave it a moment of serious consideration before answering. 

"Am I? Well... I am doing good work, work that I was meant to do, and doing it to the best of my ability. I have the company of good friends, perhaps for the first time in my life. Yes, I would have to say I am happy. And what of you, Kouichi? How have you been? How is your mother?" 

Kouichi grinned, feeling his mood lift. "I'll tell you what - how about we both grab some of that food before everyone eats it all, and I'll tell you all about it... provided you tell me what you've been doing while I've been away. I have to make sure you haven't messed things up too much, without me to keep an eye on you." 

Cherubimon hesitated a moment, realized Kouichi was joking, and gave a laugh like a roll of thunder. 

"I tried not to damage it too much," he said, smiling. 

With his mood much improved, Kouichi headed for the nearest table, hearing the soft thuds of the Great Angel's feet falling behind him, and thinking, *_Looks like I really do have good friends here, after all!_* 

~*~

It was late when the party finally ended. The three moons had fallen low on the horizon, the smallest being barely visible. In the garden, there was little left but a broad swath of trampled grass, empty chairs, and scatterings of discarded plates and glasses. Most of the guests had already wandered off, replete and exhausted, to catch the next Trailmon back to their homes. All that was left were a few of the palace residents, slowly cleaning up the party debris, the Angels themselves, and their honored guests. The children were nearly as exhausted as the party guests; worn out from a strenuous day and stuffed with party food, none of them could think much further than finding somewhere comfortable to sleep. Tomoki had already dropped off where he'd been sitting. Takuya, stretched lazily in one of the chairs, sighed contentedly and rubbed his stomach. 

"You gotta hand it to these guys," he said. "They sure know how to throw a party!" 

"You said it," Junpei agreed. He was idly shredding a sugared pastry, having already eaten all he could hold. "It sure beats wandering the wilderness, living on whatever we could scrounge up." 

"Enjoy it while you can," said Bokomon. "Tomorrow you're hitting the road again, remember?" 

"I had kind of forgotten that part of adventuring," Kouji admitted. 

"Well, at least we won't have to worry so much about running into enemies," said Izumi. "Looks like most of the people around here like us." 

"Most of them," said Bokomon. "Not every Digimon in this world is friendly, even without someone to urge them to cause trouble. There are a few who do it naturally. You will still have to be careful." 

"Aw, we can handle it," said Takuya. He yawned and amended, "At least, we will once we've had some Z's. I don't know about you guys, but I'm wiped out." 

"You aren't the only one," Kouichi said, glancing at Tomoki. "Hey, Bokomon, is there anywhere around for us to sleep?" 

"Rooms have been prepared for you," said Bokomon. "I'll show you where they are. After that, I'll be ready to catch a few winks myself." 

"What should we do about Tomoki?" asked Izumi, looking at the sleeping boy. "Do we wake him up? I don't think he really ought to spend the night out here." 

"No problem," said Junpei. He got to his feet, walked over to where Tomoki was sleeping, and picked him up. "See? He doesn't weigh much. Hm. It's funny... I know he's not any younger than we were when we first came here, but he still looks like a little kid this way." 

"Compared to where we are now," said Kouji, "when we first got here, we _were_ little kids. Come on. We've got a big day tomorrow; we might as well get what sleep we can where it's comfortable. No telling where we'll end up tomorrow." 

"Oh, sleeping under a tree somewhere, I doubt not," said Bokomon. "Come _on_, Neemon. We have to show our friends to our rooms." 

"Why do I have to come?" Neemon protested, but he abandoned the platter of fruit he'd been nibbling on and went to join the others. 

Bokomon led the way through a side door in the palace, guiding them up a flight of stairs and down a small hallway. It wasn't as grand as what they'd seen downstairs, but the effect was partly because almost everyone had gone to sleep already, and the only light came from the glow of the moons through the open windows. 

"You boys will be sleeping in there," said Bokomon, gesturing at a wide wooden door. "Miss Izumi, the room on the opposite side of the hall is yours. If you need us, Neemon and I will be in that room there with the green door." 

"How come Izumi gets a room to herself?" Takuya wanted to know. 

Bokomon drew himself up primly. "Young man, it's a matter of propriety." 

"I don't see what difference it makes," Junpei blurted. "It's not like we've never slept together before." Realizing what he'd just said, he blushed brilliantly and added, "I didn't mean that the way it came out!" 

Izumi shook her head. "I shouldn't expect any of you boys to be talking intelligently at this hour. I'm getting some sleep. Good night, everyone. See you in the morning." 

She slipped through the door, only half listening as the other boys teased Junpei about his latest bout of foot-in-mouth disease, and she smiled a little. Silly as they were, she still was glad to be with her friends. 

The room provided by her hosts proved to be quite comfortable, more than good enough for a night's rest. There was a cozy-looking four-poster bed, a vanity table with an ornate mirror, a soft carpet, and a few tapestries covered in flowers and butterflies adorning the walls. A discreet door off to one side opened to a washroom. She briefly considered having a bath before she went to sleep - after all, it was anyone's guess when she'd get another chance - but exhaustion convinced her she'd be better off waiting until morning, so she stuck to the most basic cleaning rituals before blowing out the lamp and dropping gratefully into bed. It was as soft and comfortable as it had looked, and she curled up with a sigh of contentment. Warm, happy, and well-fed, she suspected she'd be asleep before she had time to think about it... 

...Except that someone was shining a light in her eyes. 

Izumi looked up, ready to express her annoyance with whoever was disturbing her, and found herself faced with a dark room. There was no one there, no light save for what trickled through her curtained windows. 

*_My imagination is playing tricks on me,_* she told herself. That was the kind of thing that could happen, after a lot of excitement and not enough sleep. She closed her eyes again. 

The light continued to shine, bright and steady. 

Izumi sat up and looked around, trying to reassure herself. The room was almost pitch-black; if she closed her eyes, there was no natural reason why she ought to be seeing anything but the inside of her eyelids. She definitely should not be seeing bright lights unless there was some strange force at work here. 

*_Well, I have three options. I can sit up all night trying not to see a light that isn't there. I can close my eyes and try to ignore it. Or I can deal with it. There shouldn't be anyone left now who would want to hurt me, and even if there is, I can't believe they'd try something like this right under the noses of the three Great Angels, so..._* 

Slowly, deliberately, she closed her eyes. Instead of avoiding the light, she focused on it, letting it sharpen and grow until she could see it clearly. Something silvery hung in her field of vision, glowing like the brightest star that ever shined. It was so lovely, so perfect in its purity, that she found herself moving towards it before she could think about it, before she could bother to remember that the light was only in her mind. As she moved forward, the light backed away from her, hovering just out of her reach. She took a few more steps, moving more quickly, reaching for it again. Her fingers brushed something cool and solid. 

*_Is this a dream?_* she thought. *_It seems like it ought to be, but..._* 

Under her bare feet, she could feel something. At first, it was the softness of carpeting, then cold, smooth stone. Then she felt, or dreamed, or imagined, that she was walking on tiles, like a mosaic, though she could guess nothing of the patterns they were making. At last, the light seemed to vanish, and she found herself looking at a wall patterned in shapes and symbols that were alien to her, only half-visible in the dim light. Before her, just under her reaching hand, was a pattern like a starburst, worked with gold and silver that made it almost shine of its own accord. She pressed her hand to it, and it swung inward. Behind it was a hollow, and in the hollow was something shiny. She reached for it, felt her hand close around something, and... 

She was back in her bed. More remarkably, she was still clutching something in her hands. She scrambled to get up, to run to the window and open it so she could see what she had found. 

Resting in her hand was an oval jewel, as big around as the circle of her thumb and forefinger. It was encircled by a frame of silver, and its back had been faceted so that, when the light caught it just right, there seemed to be a many-pointed star hidden beneath its smooth surface. The jewel hung on a long silver chain, cunningly worked to resemble a wreath of vines and flowers. As delicate as it looked, the item had weight and authority in her hands. It had been cold when she'd first held it, but even now it was warming, so that it felt almost alive. 

"Why do I get the feeling," she said slowly, "that I just did something important again? ...Of course, this could all just be a really freaky dream... but somehow, I don't think so." 

She started to walk towards the door, to go tell someone what had just happened, but a lingering feeling that there were powers afoot made her nervous. She turned back to her bed, thinking that if this _was_ just a dream, she would be better off not waking anyone up about it. The jewel seemed to be harmless - in fact, she had the funny feeling it wanted to be helpful to her, if a jewel could want anything - so there was no harm in waiting until morning. She started to lay it on her night table, changed her mind, and slipped the chain around her neck. With one hand resting over the crystal, she fell into a deep, restful sleep. 


	2. New Journey

_**Author's Note:** I gave my best stab at translating Witchmon's attacks off the cards. Unfortunately, my Japanese is imperfect, and I'm not entirely sure I got it right. If anyone out there knows for sure what her attacks are, I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me. Thanks!_

**New Journey**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

Dawn over the Continent of Light was truly something worth seeing. As the sky in the east grew gradually lighter, going from deep violet to azure to rose, the world came alive with the sound of birdsong, as avian Digimon greeted the new day with a thousand voices. Then the sun burst above the horizon, beaming down on the acres of flowers, refracting through the dewdrops until they shone like diamonds, turning their snow-white petals the color of flame. The blaze of colors, the joy of song, the sweet scent of the flowers, and the soft touch of the morning breeze combined to make this one of the most breathtaking experiences in the Digital World. 

Unfortunately, nobody was awake to see it. 

It was well after sunrise when the group of visiting humans finally bestirred themselves and prepared to begin their day, but that had been expected. Considering how long the party of the previous night had gone on, even the palace servants had been granted a chance to sleep in, and no one would have expected guests to rise before the staff did. Despite the leisurely start, they still all reported to breakfast to find that it was still having its finishing touches set out, even though it was a simple affair. That was fine with them. After the lavish meal of the night before, no one had much appetite, and were pleased enough to find nothing more pretentious waiting for them than bread and fruit. The group gathered around a table to discuss their forthcoming journey. 

"I guess this is going to be the last time we actually get to eat off a table for a while," Takuya commented, smearing jam on a piece of bread. "Hey, Bokomon, you know everything. Where do you think we should begin searching for these Fabled Artifact things?" 

"Personally? _I_ would look wherever there's the least chance of something trying to jump out and eat us," answered Bokomon. "This was supposed to be a vacation for you, after all. But if you're really determined... I suppose one place is as good as the next. The Fabled Artifacts have been lost for centuries. That's why they're called _Fabled_ Artifacts. All that's left are a few rumors and scraps of legends. The best I can give you are guesses and hearsay. For example, there's a story that one of the Artifacts was hidden somewhere in this building eons ago, to protect it from... something-or-other. My sources weren't very clear." 

"What good is that?" Kouji wanted to know. "No offense to Ophanimon or her castle, but I didn't plan to spend all my time hanging around here." 

"Maybe we can save that one for last?" Tomoki suggested. "By the time we find the others, we might be glad to come back someplace safe for a while." 

"Or maybe," Izumi piped up, "somebody's found it already. Like me, for example." 

Everyone turned to stare at her. Seeing that all eyes were on her, she tugged at the chain that hung around her neck, lifting it up so that everyone could see the jewel that hung from it. 

"Ooh, pretty!" Neemon enthused. "Can I hold it? Can I? Please?" 

"No, you cannot!" said Bokomon. He turned to face Izumi. "Where in blue blazes did you get hold of _that_?" 

"No idea," she admitted. "It was just... I had a really strange dream last night - at least, I thought it was a dream. I thought I was walking through the palace until I found a hidden door, and when I opened it, this was there. Then I woke up, and I still had this necklace with me, so I just hung on to it. Something told me it was important." 

"Let me have a closer look," said Bokomon. "No, don't take it off - I'll come over there." 

Bokomon hopped onto the table, picking his way around bowls and platters, until he was standing in front of Izumi. She held up the gem so he could see it clearly. In the strong morning sunlight, it sparkled more than ever. He gave it a thorough examination, turning it this way and that, observing how the lights inside it shifted. 

"Yes..." he said at last. "There's no doubt in my mind. You've found the Star of Guidance!" 

"That's a star?" said Neemon dubiously. "It looks more like a necklace to me." 

"It's figurative, you dolt," Bokomon snapped. "The Star of Guidance is the name for the gemstone. Its power is that, when properly invoked, it will guide its owner to whatever they need most. Just as a traveler can find their way through the wilderness by following the stars, the holder of the Star of Guidance can follow its light to safety. Among all the Fabled Artifacts, it alone has the ability to choose its owner - its magic allows it to identify the one most suited to carry it. That's what my notes say, anyway," he finished, brandishing his book. "Evidently, it has decided that Izumi is a worthy carrier, and so it has guided her to it." 

"Well, I could have told it that," Junpei muttered, to no one in particular. 

"This is a great honor, Izumi," Bokomon went on. "If I were you, I would keep that necklace with you at all times. Never take it off. Never give it to anyone, not even one of your friends. It has chosen you, and it will obey only you for as long as you keep it." 

"Great. Now I get to spend the rest of the trip carrying a rock," said Izumi. "Oh, well. At least it's pretty... and it's not nearly as heavy as it looks like it would be. I'll keep it safe." She tucked it back out of sight, hiding it beneath her shirt so that all that could be seen was a bit of silver chain. 

"See that?" said Takuya. "I knew we could find those Artifacts! We haven't even been here a whole day, and already we've found one!" 

"It found us," Bokomon retorted, "because it was already here in the castle." 

"Bokomon's right. We don't need to get cocky," Kouji agreed. "If we're really going to make any kind of progress, we ought to have some kind of plan. Hmm..." 

"So, if you were a Fabled Artifact, where would you hide?" asked Junpei. 

"How should I know?" Kouji retorted. "I've never _been_ a Fabled Artifact." 

"You need more imagination," said Tomoki. "If I were a Fabled Artifact, I'd hide somewhere cool, like a big castle or a dungeon or something." 

"That's fine, but most of the Artifacts can't think for themselves," said Kouji. "They're not going to just choose where they get to spend their time." 

"Actually, he might have a point," said Kouichi thoughtfully. 

Kouji blinked, as if surprised his twin was disagreeing with him. "What do you mean?" 

"Well, powerful tools don't usually just lie around anywhere," said Kouichi. "They get used by powerful people. Even if they're originally found by someone ordinary, sooner or later, either someone more powerful will hear about it and take it, or the person who finds it will _become_ powerful. Powerful people don't live in holes in the ground. They build palaces and fortresses and dungeons and things to rule from." 

There was a moment of silence. Then Kouji said, "That made a lot of sense. Good thinking, Kouichi." 

His brother smiled. "Well, you know what they say - two heads are better than one!" 

"Especially when one head belongs to a guy who has to doubt everything he hears," Takuya piped up. 

"I'm the voice of common sense in this group," said Kouji nobly. 

"And what am I - diced Ogremon food?" Bokomon muttered. 

"You're really more of the wise mentor type," said Izumi, who knew when someone needed flattering. "We wouldn't know what to do without all your information." 

"Right," Junpei agreed. "So... you know the way around this place better than we do. Know where there are any castles or ruins or anything?" 

"Not many," said Bokomon slowly. "The closest one I can think of offhand is the Temple of the Fallen Moon, and that isn't really the kind of place you go for fun. It's more the kind of place you stay far, far away from." 

"Yeah, well, that's what you said about the Continent of Darkness, too, and we got through that all right," Takuya pointed out. 

"Define 'all right'," said Kouji. 

"Hey, it would have been okay if we hadn't kept running into monsters," Tomoki said. "But Cherubimon's good again, and the Legendary Warriors should all be on our side now, and we dealt with Lucemon, so it ought to be okay, right?" 

"Except that we don't actually have the Spirits with us anymore," Kouji pointed out. "How are we going to defend ourselves against danger? And don't tell me, 'Oh, it'll be okay, something will work out.' Walking into something we know is dangerous when we know we're unprotected is just stupid." 

"If we didn't want any risks, we wouldn't have agreed to do this in the first place," said Takuya stubbornly. 

"There's a difference between taking a calculated risk and being rash," Kouichi said. "I'm not saying we shouldn't be trying to find these Artifacts. I think that just the fact that the Star of Guidance has reappeared after all these years is a pretty good indicator that we should. Now, can we at least agree for the sake of peace and quiet that we ought to go at this carefully?" 

"All right, all right," said Takuya. "How far away from here is this temple, anyway?" 

"Several days' journey, I'd estimate," Bokomon replied. "The Trailmon tracks go around it, so we'll have to walk." 

"Fine. That should be plenty of time to find out what we're up against," said Izumi. "And who knows? Maybe we _will_ find something to help us. I mean, we _do_ have the Star of Guidance, and it _is_ supposed to help you find things..." 

"It will!" said Bokomon. "If you but ask it, it will lead you to whatever you need most." 

"Sounds great," Kouji said dryly. "What's the catch?" 

"Um..." said Bokomon, deflating. "The catch is that what you want and what you need are two entirely different things... and that you might not recognize what you need when you see it... and that you might get so tied up looking for what you need most that you might overlook something else that could be useful." 

"Great. Now I'm sorry I asked," said Kouji. 

"It will still help us," Izumi said. "I just know it. This thing didn't wake me up last night just because it was lonely." 

"That's good enough for me," said Takuya. "I, for one, say we set a course to the Fallen Moon Temple. Unless anyone has a better idea?" 

There was some uneasy shifting. Kouji said, "I guess as long as we're _careful_, we ought to be able to handle it. After all, we may not be Legendary Warriors anymore, but we're not completely helpless, either." 

"Well, if Kouji says it's okay, I guess it's okay," said Takuya, half-teasing. "The Fallen Moon Temple, it is, then!" 

There were nods and murmurs of agreement, some more enthusiastic than others. All of them were so intent on the moment that no one noticed a dark shadow flicker past one of the windows. 

~*~

An oddly shaped object was flying across a clouded section of the Digital World's sky. A closer inspection would have shown that it was actually a Digimon - not a bird or insect, as one might expect, but one of feminine humanoid aspect. She lacked both the feathery wings of an angel and the leathery bat-wings of something demonic. As a matter of fact, she wasn't even aloft of her own power, but was instead hurtling across the sky on a twiggy broomstick, clinging with a death-grip to its handle. Her flight path zigzagged erratically, sometimes swooping high into the air and becoming lost in the cloudy sky, and sometimes dipping toward the earth, where she had to dodge crazily to avoid running into trees and rocks. It might have helped if she had opened her eyes a bit more, but she seemed too terrified to do more than occasionally open one eye a crack. 

At last, her destination drew near. Looming up before her stood a small building, a mound of stone too small to be called more than a house, but with a grace of design that made it appear larger and grander than it really was. It might have even been called beautiful if it had been cleaner and brighter, but that was hardly the case. It was built of ancient black stone, cracked and crumbling in some places, overgrown here and there with dark, slimy-looking moss. Its windows were unlit, hardly distinguishable from the stone itself, and the whole of it was sunk into the shadows of the black forest until it was hardly visible at all. Nevertheless, the flying Digimon recognized it as soon as she saw it, and she altered her course to meet it. Panting with fear and exertion, screwing up her courage, she dove for the largest downstairs window, pressed herself to her broomstick, and hoped for a painless landing. 

As luck would have it, she whizzed through the window with just enough clearance that all she did was lose her pointed hat as she shot through it. She pulled her broom to a sudden stop - too sudden, and she nearly fell off. Shaking slightly, she dismounted and looked around to see if anyone had been around to witness her embarrassing near-fall. There was, which was bad, but a closer look showed that it was only Wisemon, which could have been worse. At least her brother wouldn't scold her too badly. 

"Honestly, Witchmon, when are you going to learn to control that thing?" he demanded in his deep, grating voice. He spoke without any emotion but annoyance, but that was normal for him. Wisemon addressed everyone, family and strangers alike, in the exact same tone. 

"I'm _trying_," she said, trying not to sound like she was whining. Her hands still shook from the wild flight. "It's just... it goes so _fast_..." 

"That shouldn't matter. Flying is supposed to be second nature to you," her brother replied. "It shouldn't leave you looking like you barely escaped with your life. You're just lucky Lilithmon isn't around to witness your continued failure." 

"I'm sorry," said Witchmon, hanging her head. "I'll try harder." 

"I'm sure you will," Wisemon replied. "So, have you anything to show for your journeying?" 

"Yes," she began, "but I don't think-" 

"That's right," answered Wisemon. "Your place is not to think. You are to let Lilithmon do the thinking. Tidy yourself up and make your report... and make it _quietly_. Lilithmon will not be forgiving if you break her meditations." 

Witchmon murmured something polite and went to look for her hat. She found it lying on the floor, looking somewhat worse for being dragged through the damp clouds, and it had collected a few dead leaves and twigs from her forays through the woods. She shook it out as best she could and set it back on her head, trying to tame her tangles of red-blonde hair back into some kind of order. Then she hurried to catch up to her elder brother, who was already walking down the hall that led to their ruler's inner chamber. 

Witchmon continued to try to put herself in order - discreetly, of course; Lilithmon had told her again and again that she ought to make everything she did look effortless, graceful, just as the lady of the manor did. With movements that she hoped were unnoticeable, she picked off bits of debris from her clothing and tried to smooth the wrinkles from her long red dress. Then she realized that Wisemon was watching her out of the corner of his eye, and she gave the effort up as futile. Wisemon, at least, never seemed have need for cleaning and straightening. His long dark robes never showed any sign of wear and tear, and all that could really be seen of his person were two golden eyes glinting from within his cowl. He always seemed calm and self-assured; it was no wonder that he was Lilithmon's preferred servant. Witchmon knew from painful experience that, no matter what she did, she would never measure up to her brother's example, much less to Lilithmon herself. 

They entered the lady's throne room and paused respectfully at the doorway - or at least, Wisemon did. Witchmon took a few steps into the room, intent on delivering her news and momentarily forgetting her protocol, and Wisemon had to reach out and block her way before she stopped. Lilithmon, resting calmly on the throne, gazed out at nowhere as if she had not seen Witchmon's mistake. Even so, Witchmon gazed at the floor in shame. 

Lilithmon was, in all respects, a remarkable Digimon. In looks, she appeared at first glance to be a human woman, but a woman of such perfect proportions that she seemed utterly unearthly for her beauty alone. Her face was perfectly sculpted, her skin bone-white, her lips red as blood, her eyes as deep and dark as the furthest reaches of the universe where stars were only distant dreams. Hair the color of shadows was elaborately pinned around a golden crown. Her shapely body was draped with a kimono-like gown of black and violet silk. One of her hands was human, with long slim fingers and bright red nails... and if her other hand was a claw, it was a golden claw, as slender and elegant as her human hand. If the black wings of demons adorned her back, they were still so graceful, they could have as easily been taken as scarves adorning her dress. There was not a part of her that didn't seem to be perfectly designed to inspire both awe and fear. 

More remarkable was her past. She was very old - some people guessed that she had been born at the beginning of time, and some said she'd been around longer than that. The only thing that could be proved with certainty was that she had been alive when the beast and human-type Digimon had been at war with each other. Lilithmon herself had led a contingent of humanoid warriors - Devimon and Lady Devimon, Piemon and Vamdemon, Mummymon and Pharohmon, all creatures who walked by night. She had been powerful, then, for her power came from the fear and suffering of living things, and such energy was always strongest during times of war. Some had whispered that she intended to crush the beast-type Digimon entirely, and rule the human-types as their new queen. 

Then Lucemon had come, bringing his ideas of peace and compromise, and Lilithmon had been forced to back down. She would never agree to serve a ruler who advocated peace, but there was no chance of overthrowing the Angel of Light with her dark powers. She might have been strong enough to conquer half the world, but when the entire Digital World was caught up in its nauseating worship of the angel, Lilithmon had known it was time to sneak away, to wait, and to plan. Years went by, and she had watched Lucemon go power-mad, to be finally defeated by the ten Legendary Warriors. That should have been her chance, but no sooner had Lucemon been deposed, when the three Great Angels stepped in to take his place. When Cherubimon had made his division from the other Angels, she had approved, and offered to help him, for she embraced his ideals of chaos, but he had not trusted anything that looked like a human. She had been forced to go into hiding, burying herself in the darkest part of the Dark Continent until the entire world had all but forgotten her existence. The darkness suited her. Years of hiding had bred in her a fierce love of privacy, and anyone who blundered into her path without invitation was likely to be tortured into nonexistence - not only to increase her powers, but to fill the unfortunate intruder's mind with so much pain and fear that they would never remember who it was they had seen. The only ones who were allowed to look upon her face were her closest servants, who were just now standing in the doorway, waiting to be recognized. 

"Witchmon," said Lilithmon at last. Her voice was soft, slow, soothing. Listening to it for very long could easily put one into a trance. "You have returned to us at last. Tell us, have you seen anything on your journey?" 

"Yes, I have! The Legendary Warriors are back!" Witchmon blurted. "I mean, not the _real_ Legendary Warriors - I mean, they _are_ real, but they're not the Digmon, they're the humans, the ones who defeated Lucemon - not from back then, you know, but a couple of years ago, when they came back, and-" 

"Witchmon." That one word, spoken with no particular inflection, was enough to halt the flow of chatter. Witchmon stared back at the floor again, face flaming in embarrassment. Lilithmon's eyes dropped ever so slightly, just enough that Witchmon could be sure they were locked on her. "Witchmon, Witchmon, whatever am I going to do with you? How many times must I tell you, a proper lady speaks slowly and calmly, no matter what the circumstances? How can I understand your news if you are so flustered that you hardly seem to understand it yourself? Now. Let me hear you speak again, and do it properly this time." 

"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon obediently. She took a deep breath, schooling herself into some semblance of calmness. "I wish to report that the six humans who carried the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors returned to Ophanimon's palace in the Continent of Light at approximately six of the clock last evening." 

"There," Lilithmon said gently. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, was there something else you wish to add, or did you bring me this news just so that I might be informed?" 

Witchmon tried not to cringe at the implied rebuke; Lilithmon ordinarily wouldn't care of Ophanimon had been visited by a group of human warriors or a plague of gnats. Lilithmon only cared about what concerned Lilithmon. 

"There is, my lady," she said. "I overheard them talking, and it appears they plan to set out in search of the Fabled Artifacts." 

Lilithmon then did something remarkable: she twitched. It wasn't much, just a small involuntary movement, as if she meant to pull a shawl around her to hold off a chill. Then it was gone, leaving her with her normal, vaguely amused mask. 

"I see," she said. "Well. This is... unanticipated. I am under the impression that when these children returned to their own world, they left their Spirits behind. Is that not so?" 

"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon. "They were talking about it during their morning meal. They are worried that they might meet something dangerous, and not be able to fight it." 

"I see," Lilithmon replied. She indulged in a moment of quiet thought, propping her chin on one elegant finger as she stared off into space. At last, she said, "Did they happen to say where they might be going?" 

"To the Temple of the Fallen Moon, my lady." Witchmon took a deep breath and added in a breathless rush, "I believe you ought to know that they've already found the Star of Guidance!" 

Again there was that twitch. A strange glint crept into Lilithmon's eyes. "Do they know how to use it?" 

Witchmon was stunned; ordinarily, she would have been rebuked for speaking so hurriedly. She was so surprised, she gave what would have normally been an unacceptable answer: "I don't know." 

"You don't." Lilithmon glared at Witchmon, as Witchmon had known she would. "Perhaps what you mean is that you did not listen long enough, or that you were too impatient to hear it all. I should punish you. Still... if they have it, it is only a matter of time before they learn to use it. If they truly seek the Fabled Artifacts, then it will lead them..." The sentence hung in the air, sounding oddly unfinished, as if she had meant to say exactly where it would lead them, but had forgotten what she wished to say. She stared off into space a moment longer, then let her gaze snap back down on Witchmon. "It is my desire that these children never find another Fabled Artifact. You know where they are and where they are going. You are in the best position to stop them." 

"Me?" Witchmon squeaked. "Fight the Legendary Warriors? But they've destroyed so many things more powerful than me already..." 

"That was when they were Legendary Warriors," Lilithmon said. "They are powerless now, weaker than the weakest hatchling. You are an Adult-stage Digimon. You will defeat them, and you will bring me the Star of Guidance as proof that you have done so." 

There was only one answer to a command like that. Witchmon knelt subserviently. "I will do as my lady bids me." 

She rose, trying to be graceful, and managed only to step on the hem of her dress. She tried not to stumble, with limited success, and walked off. Behind her, she could hear her brother's deep voice, growing distorted by distance behind her: "...my sister is a willing servant, my lady, but she isn't very reliable... to question your authority, but she hardly seems... hate to see something happen to her... likely to make mistakes..." 

Witchmon shrugged it off. As long as she could remember, her brother had served as Lilithmon's most trusted servant and advisor. He had watched over Witchmon when she was just a hatching herself, and had persuaded Lilithmon to take her on as an apprentice. Lilithmon had not wanted another servant, but Wisemon had insisted that his sister be properly cared for, and given the guidance in the black arts that only a master sorceress like Lilithmon could supply. It wasn't their fault that Witchmon had always been a failure. They had done their best for her. She simply hadn't been working hard enough, and she certainly had no right to go around feeling hurt if they wanted to scold her. 

Re-entering the main hall, she reluctantly collected her broom. While she stood there, contemplating having to mount and ride once more, her cat familiar came gliding out of the shadows to twine around her ankles. She smiled. Here, at least, was one creature who never judged her. Why should he? He was a part of her, born from her own data the way her clothing and broom had been, and tended to act more on her moods than his own volition, but he seemed so alive that she considered him more as a pet than an extension of herself. The cat's name was Cat; as far as she knew, there were no other such creatures in the Digital World, so the title was serviceable enough. In appearance, he looked just like an ordinary cat from the Human World, except that when he moved, he seemed to stream out a bit, like flame in the wind. Right now, since she was trying to comfort herself, he tried to comfort her, too. 

"Come on, Cat," she said, mounting her broom. "We have a mission to run for Lady Lilithmon... and this time, we're going to do it right!" 

~*~

There was nothing to do but walk. Once breakfast had been finished with, the children had been eager to embark on their journey, so they had taken one last opportunity to get properly clean before they set out, gathered their things, and said goodbye to the Angels and those palace servants who had come to see them off. Now they were trudging through the fields of flowers that filled this part of the world. The palace was too far behind them to be seen anymore, and there were no other landmarks right now for them to see. All that was visible were the flowers and grass at their feet and the sky above. 

"We would have to end up in the most boring part of the Digital World," Takuya complained. 

"Oh, I don't know," said Izumi. "I think it's kind of pretty. It's a nice change after being in the city for so long." 

"You have more patience than I do," said Kouji. "It was nice for a while, but now I'm starting to wish it had something to liven it up a bit." 

Bokomon consulted his book. "If my information is correct, we should be drawing near the end of the flower fields and drawing near a river. Will that suit you?" 

"That will be fine," Kouji said, "and I didn't mean to complain." 

"Yeah, even if it is boring," added Takuya, "I'd rather be bored here than anywhere else." 

"Hey, I know!" said Tomoki. "Bokomon, tell us more about these artifacts. What are they like? What do they do?" 

"Yeah, that's a good idea," said Junpei. "Tell us some of those legends you're supposed to know." 

"I _do_ know them," Bokomon said. "As for the Fabled Artifacts... hm, let me see. Well, the Star of Guidance, you already know about. The other six are the Light of Love, the Staff of Order, the Blade of Courage, the Pipes of Peace, the Pool of Knowledge, and the Shroud of Life. In the early days of the Digital World, all of them were used to assure peace, prosperity, and general well-being. The Light of Love is said to be a light that shines like a star on earth, and those who gaze at its light will be filled with gentleness and compassion for their fellow beings." 

"Sounds like a nice thing to have around," said Kouichi. 

"Yes," Bokomon agreed. "Unfortunately, legend also has it that the Light was captured by a wicked Digimon, and it became corrupted, inspiring only obsession and selfless, mindless devotion to whoever held it." 

"Slavery," muttered Junpei in disgust. "We're definitely getting that one back, before someone else does." 

"While you're at it, search for the Staff of Order," said Bokomon. "Its purpose was once to bring calmness out of chaos - it was said to have the power to halt even a great war. Eventually it was turned to the purpose of rallying armies and enforcing their obedience. Likewise, the magical Blade of Courage that freed its carrier from their fears became a weapon of destruction that turned whoever held it into a bloodthirsty monster. The Pipes of Peace were once able to make music that would still fears and soothe anger were put to the purpose of bringing lassitude and apathy. These are the four who were corrupted." 

"In that case, I think Junpei's got it right," said Takuya. "Finding those ought to be our first priority." 

"What about the other two?" asked Izumi. "The Pool of Knowledge, you said, and..." 

"The Shroud of Life," Bokomon finished. "The Pool is... well, my references weren't very specific about what it is, but supposedly it shows images of the past and present to whoever invokes it. Its powers are too passive to be corrupted, but it would still be dangerous in the wrong hands. As for the Shroud... it is perhaps the most powerful of all. It heals the wearer of any physical damage. Anyone who wears it will be invulnerable to any harm." 

Takuya whistled. 

"Ouch," said Kouichi. "Just imagine, if Lucemon had one of those..." 

"...we wouldn't be standing around here talking about it," Kouji finished. "Bokomon, answer me something." 

"Yes, Kouji, what is it?" 

"Why hasn't anyone decided to look for these things before now?" 

"Because," answered Bokomon patiently, "up until just a short while ago, nobody even remembered they existed. We were all a little distracted by Lucemon and Cherubimon and the sixty million other things that were going on." 

"Well, we'll find them now," said Tomoki, his voice resolved, "and if we can't get them back, we'll destroy them, so nobody will ever use them to hurt anybody!" 

There was a moment of silence. It had been a good while since they'd heard their cheerful- natured friend speak with such grim conviction. 

"He's right," said Kouji at last. "If these Artifacts turn out to be too powerful to be safe, we owe it to the Digital World to destroy them." 

"I hope it doesn't come to that," said Bokomon. "I would hate to go back home empty- handed." 

"Well, look at it this way," said Izumi. "At least you'll have lots more to write about!" 

"That's true," Bokomon said, and looked somewhat more cheerful. 

"That was pretty cool!" said Neemon. "Tell another story!" 

Bokomon glared at him. "Honestly, can't you keep a serious thought in your head?" 

"No, not really. Is that bad?" 

Takuya laughed. "Well, why not? It isn't like we've got something else to do right now." 

"Yeah, tell us a story!" said Tomoki. "You've gotta know at least a million of them, after all those books you've been reading!" 

"Do you know anything about those pictures in the hallway outside the library?" asked Izumi. "I remember looking at one last night. There was one with a lady Digimon with wings, and she was standing in front of a pool." 

"Funny you should have noticed that one. It features the Star of Guidance - one of the few Artifacts we have any kind of picture of," said Bokomon. "It is a lovely story... a bit of a romance..." 

"Aw, I love love," said Neemon. 

"Yeah, me too," Junpei said. "Go on, Bokomon, don't hold out on us. Tell!" 

Bokomon wasn't so humble that he could hold out against having people he liked and admired begging him to share his vast knowledge with them, so he gave in and started telling. His studies had given him some knowledge of how a story ought to be told, and the story was dramatic enough that everyone was quickly caught up in the tale of the lovely young Digimon maiden who had sought to find her lover, who had vanished in the epic battle between the beast and human-type Digimon. Her deep longing had resonated with the Star of Guidance, allowing her to find it, and through it, find the healing spring to save her dying paramour. The tale did help pass the time; when everyone had their mind on true love and dire peril, little things like tried feet became secondary. 

As the sun slid past its zenith, the terrain became gradually rougher. The smooth plains they had been traveling turned to rolling hills. The flowers thinned out, to be replaced by tall grasses and the occasional clump of trees. The group tried to walk close to these when they could; walking out under the full noonday sun was hot work, and they were grateful even for a few moments of shade. At the top of a particularly tall hill, everyone felt the need to pause and catch their breath. 

"I've gotten out of shape," Bokomon complained, collapsing into a patch of soft grass. "I don't know about you all, but I've gone as far as I can." 

"If you're hinting I have to start carrying you again, you can forget it," said Junpei. "If we have to walk, you have to walk, too." 

"But your legs are longer than ours," Neemon protested. 

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Takuya. "We're not in a big rush. We can take it slow until we get used to hiking again." 

"If we're going to rest, I think we should do it in a more defensible position," said Kouji. "Sitting on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere, well... we aren't exactly inconspicuous as it is. Anyone can tell we don't belong here." 

Izumi was only half paying attention. She stared off into the cloud-dotted sky, her face to the breeze, letting it cool her face and tug at her hair. 

"The wind is changing," she said softly. "I think it's going to rain." 

"She's right," said Junpei, equally quiet. For once, he wasn't staring at her, despite the pretty picture she made. He was looking out at the clouds. "I hear thunder." 

"That's funny," said Kouji. "I don't hear anything." 

"Well, those two would know," Takuya replied, shrugging a bit. "Anyway, maybe you're right - maybe we should look for some shelter." 

"How about over there?" said Tomoki, pointing. 

Everyone looked in the direction he indicated. Between the sky and the earth, they could see a smudge of dark green. Beyond it, the land looked wilder and hillier, and there were the faintest suggestion of mountains, no more than blueish shadows against the sky. 

"A forest?" Kouichi wondered aloud. 

"Maybe even a river," his brother agreed. "More plants grow around rivers, don't they? Either way, it's got to be better than what we've got here. Good job, Tomoki." 

Tomoki glowed with the praise and jumped to his feet. "Okay! I'll lead the way!" 

The others grinned a little at his enthusiasm and set out behind him. 

It took longer than they expected to reach their goal, but they found it completely worthwhile when they got there. The dark line they had seen at a distance turned out to be a row of trees, flourishing along the bank of a pleasant brook. Its far side was edged with rocks of every size, with a few overhangs that might make shelter from rain or predators. Sticks of wood cast along its banks would be ideal firewood. 

"You couldn't ask for a better spot," said Kouichi. "Let's set up camp here... at least long enough to have lunch and see if it's going to rain or not. Or am I the only one who's hungry?" 

"I guess breakfast was a long time ago," Takuya admitted. He peered speculatively at the water. "I wonder if we could catch a fish? _Are_ there fish here? I mean, do they have those in the Digital World?" 

"We do, and you can catch them," said Bokomon, "_if_ you have anything to catch them with." 

"I suppose we could make a rod out of a branch," said Takuya doubtfully. 

"What would you use for a line?" Kouji asked. 

"I dunno. Maybe a vine or something." Takuya glanced around, but no vines were forthcoming. "Or maybe not." 

There was a moment of disappointed silence. They _had_ been given some food supplies when they'd left the palace, things like dried fruit and hard bread that wouldn't go bad, but they were only enough to last a few days. Everyone would be a lot better off if they could round it out with food they found along the way. At last, when it seemed like they would have to give up the dream of fresh fish, Junpei said, "I have some fishing line with me." 

Everyone stared at him. Izumi asked, "Why on earth would you have that?" 

"I always have it with me," he said, taking out a ball of thin, clear wire. When pulled out a length of it, it was nearly invisible. "I use it in my magic tricks, because it's so hard to see. You know, for making it look like I'm moving stuff without touching it. Any good magician has a supply of this stuff." He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "I'm so used to bringing my bag of tricks with me, I guess I just brought it all out of habit." 

"Well, it's sure going to come in handy now," said Takuya. 

"Great," Kouji agreed. "Since you've got the supplies, how about you see if you can catch some fish. Kouichi and I will scout around and see if we can find shelter. Takuya, you're in charge of finding firewood." 

"Who put you in charge?" said Takuya, but it was only a token grumble. He loped off to see if he could find any decent-sized sticks. 

"The rest of us ought to do something, too," said Izumi. "Maybe we could look around and see if there's anything growing around here that's edible." 

"An excellent idea," said Bokomon. "Why don't Tomoki and I go that way, and you and Neemon go that way? He may not be good for much, but he at least knows the difference between what he can eat and what can eat him." 

With their tasks thus parceled out, the group set to work with a will. After a few minutes of experimenting with stepping stones, the twins made it across the river without doing more than getting the cuffs of their jeans damp, and within a short while had identified a rocky overhang that would hold them all comfortably and still keep off the worst of a rainstorm. Once they had cleared it out a bit and made sure there was nothing unfriendly lurking inside, they joined Takuya in collecting firewood, and soon had a cheerful blaze going. A few minutes later, Tomoki, Izumi, and the Digimon returned bearing armloads of vegetables. Last but not least, Junpei appeared, grinning broadly as he displayed a string of fish. Once that happened, there was some confusion over what exactly they were supposed to do with a fish once they had it, but Tomoki surprised them all by taking over the task. It seemed that after his success in the Burgermon village, he had taken an interest in cooking, and since fish was common in Japanese cooking, he'd developed an aptitude for preparing it. It was more difficult to do using a borrowed pocketknife than with proper kitchen utensils, but it got done in the end. With a pleasant sense of satisfaction, everyone settled down to enjoy themselves. 

Meanwhile, Witchmon was mired in uncertainty. She had easily found the children, isolated as they were on the open prairie, but she had hesitated when it came to actually attacking them. What should she do? Should she swoop down on them when they were out in the open, and risk them seeing her and taking action? Or should she wait until they were in more defensible territory, knowing full well that anything that would protect her would probably protect them as well? She couldn't make up her mind, with the end result being that they had walked right past her without taking any harm. Now they were firmly dug into a highly defensible spot, and she was not entirely confident in her ability to pry them out again. 

"Oh, what do I do, what do I do?" she wailed, wringing her hands. "I can't go back and tell Lilithmon I didn't even _try_ to fight them. Do I sit here and wait for them to come out? Do I attack them anyway? What do I do? I have to do _something_." She took a deep breath. "All right, Wtichmon, get hold of yourself. It's just a bunch of defenseless human kids and a couple of little Digimon. You are a valued servant of Lilithmon! You ought to have the power to beat them six times over. All right? Okay! Go for it!" 

The children, contentedly nibbling on their lunch and unaware of any trouble, were suddenly surprised by a rushing noise that didn't seem to have anything to do with the wind. They looked up and saw a remarkable personage looking back at them. She seemed less like a human being than a caricature of one, with attenuated limbs, large glowing eyes, and a bizarre costume consisting of a long red dress held in place by numerous leather straps on her waist and arms. Reddish blonde curls tumbled crazily from under a peaked hat, and she perched on a broomstick that she shared with a vicious-looking black cat. 

Kouji jumped to his feet, ready to run or flee. "What the heck is that?" 

"It doesn't look friendly, whatever it is," Tomoki replied. 

"That's a Witchmon," said Bokomon, ever ready to distribute useless information. "An Adult- level Digimon with many magical spells. I can't imagine what one would be doing this close to Ophanimon's palace." 

"Would 'looking for us' be too paranoid an answer?" asked Takuya. 

"No, it wouldn't," said Witchmon. "For your information, I'm here by the orders of the mighty Lilithmon! ...Though maybe she didn't want me to tell you that. Oh, well, it doesn't matter, because I'm here to destroy you! How do you like that, huh?" 

"Not very much," Kouichi replied. Lowering his voice, he said, "What are the odds of getting away from her?" 

"Could be better," said Kouji. "We were counting on the river giving us a little protection, but since she can fly, she's got the advantage. She can just sit out there and shoot at us until she hits us or the roof caves in." 

"Time to run away then," said Takuya with a sigh. "Darnit! I hate running." 

"Um, are you guys done talking in there?" Witchmon called. "I really wasn't kidding when I said I have to destroy you. Oh, and I need that Star thing, too. Do you think you could hurry up and get out here?" 

"On the other hand," said Takuya, "outsmarting her sounds like a distinct possibility." 

"Hm," Kouji mused. "You could be right. Any ideas?" 

"There was another overhang a little ways back there," said Kouichi, gesturing. "Remember? We looked at it and decided it wasn't safe. There were too many loose boulders along the top of it. It looked to likely to cave in..." 

"Say no more," said Takuya. "Okay, then, let's get over there and start loosening boulders, and someone else can try to lure her over there." 

"What are you whispering about?" Witchmon called. "If you don't come out of there right now, I'm going to _make_ you come out! At least, I think I am." 

"We're coming out!" said Takuya. "Look, see, here we come!" 

There was a wild scramble as humans and Digimon seemed to explode out of the cave and scatter in all directions. Witchmon stared at them in consternation. 

"Hey, no fair! Come back here!" she shouted. When no one did any such thing, she said, "All right, now you've made me mad! I'm going to hunt down every last one of you!" 

"As if you could!" someone - she couldn't tell who - shouted from within the trees. 

Just beyond her vision, Izumi, Tomoki, Junpei, and the Digimon were assembling in a small group. Somewhere in the distance, they could hear the rest of the group rushing upstream. 

"Should we follow them?" asked Tomoki. 

"No, not yet," Junpei replied. "They're going to need some time to get ready. We've just got to keep this wacky witch busy for a few minutes first." 

"Right," agreed Izumi, nodding. "And I think I know how to do it, too." 

Without waiting to consult with anyone, she dashed off in the direction she had last seen Witchmon. The others watched her with expressions of uneasiness. 

"Should we be letting her run off like that?" asked Neemon dubiously. 

"We have to," said Junpei, still staring worriedly after her. "She can take care of herself, and we have to keep Witchmon distracted. Come on, guys, let's scatter. We'll be more effective if we spread out." 

The others nodded, and each took off in a different direction, spreading out along the length of the stream. Peering out among the trees, they could see Izumi having her faceoff with the strange flying Digimon. 

"Hey, you! That's right, you with the broom! I'm over here!" she shouted. 

Witchmon turned so suddenly, she nearly fell off her broomstick, and her cat squalled. She tried frantically to steady herself and fixed Izumi with an angry glare - all the angrier because her enemy had seen her make such a fool of herself. 

"What are you making so much noise for?" she snapped. 

"You're looking for the Star of Guidance, right?" asked Izumi. 

"Yeah..." 

"Well, I know where it is, so if you want it, you'd better come and get me!" 

She ducked back into the trees. Witchmon made a move to follow her, then stopped, glaring. 

"How am I supposed to know you aren't trying to trick me, huh?" she called. "I'm not just following you in there for no good reason!" 

"Oh, yeah?" called Izumi, stepping back into sight for a moment. "Then what do you call this, huh?" 

She held up the Star for all to see. Even in the gloom of the trees, it shone with its own light. Witchmon gave a cry and went shooting forward, hand outstretched. Izumi darted aside, and Witchmon barely missed crashing into a tree. By the time she had collected herself, Izumi was gone again. The witch paused, listening, waiting for any sign of movement. Ahead of her, something rustled. 

"I have you now!" she called triumphantly. 

Zooming forward, she swatted at a trembling pile of leaves. Bokomon put his head out and blinked at her in his best impression of stupidity. Witchmon stared back. 

"Who are you?" she asked. 

"Just an innocent Digimon minding my own business," he answered. 

"Oh. Have you seen any humans running around here?" 

"Yes! They went that way," said Bokomon, pointing. "And that way, and that way, and that way." 

"Oh," said Witchmon. "Hey, wait a minute, didn't I see you with those kids earlier?" 

"Um... Well, that's my cue to go! Bye!" 

Bokomon dove into the leaves. Witchmon scrambled at them, but couldn't manage to catch him, and she snarled in frustration. This was turning out to be harder than she'd thought! She wasn't used to thinking for herself, and having eight minds arrayed against her was more than she was ready to deal with. She racked her mind, trying to decide what to do. The little Digimon wouldn't have pointed her in the direction his friends had gone, but then again, he had pointed in all directions, so at least one human must have gone one of those ways... She shook her head. This was much too confusing! 

"Don't give up yet!" someone shouted. She turned and saw the youngest of the children watching her from the opposite bank. "You haven't even caught one of us!" 

Witchmon gave a yell of frustration and tried to catch up to him. He darted off into the trees, calling more taunts. She tried to follow, but the trees were too thick for her to fly through easily, and there were too many places for a slender young boy to hide. 

Meanwhile, Junpei was crouching behind a stand of shrubs, waiting for his moment. The bushes weren't that much cover, and he knew that if Witchmon actually came close enough to look for him there, he would be found in an instant, but his friends were doing a good enough job distracting the enemy that he figured his chances were good. His confidence lasted up until the point when he heard something rattling through the underbrush. He tensed. Certainly nothing that flew would make that much noise... but as clumsy as Witchmon seemed to be, she might have decided a ground search would be safer... and his friends would know better than to make so much noise if they were heading towards him... 

At least, most of them would. Just as panic was starting to creep up on him, a furry face appeared in front of his, and he nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise. 

"Don't do that!" he said. 

Neemon hung his head. "Sor-ry." 

"Well, that's okay," said Junpei. "What are you doing over here?" 

"Kouji and Kouichi and Takuya say they're ready," he reported. "I don't know what they're ready for. Do you?" 

"I could make a guess," he said. "Look, find the others and pass the word along... if you can remember it that long." 

"Okay!" said Neemon, ever agreeable, and scooted off. Junpei shook his head. He didn't put too much faith in Neemon's memory. 

"Well, let's see what kind of a magician I really am," he said. "Well, here goes nothing. Time to go on stage!" 

He crawled out from behind his screen of bushes and headed for the brook. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Witchmon still searching vainly for the others. The sound encouraged him; as long as she was still looking, it meant everyone else was all right. 

"Hey, Witchmon, looking for this?" he shouted. 

More rustles. A disheveled-looking Witchmon came out of the woods, somewhat the worse for wear, her flowing gown speckled with dead leaves and bits of debris. She eyed him warily. 

"You're going to play another trick on me," she accused. "I'm tired of people playing tricks on me!" 

For a minute, she sounded so frustrated and unhappy that he almost felt sorry for her, but he remembered what she planned to do with his friends if she caught them and steeled himself. 

"You're looking for the Star of Guidance, aren't you?" he asked. 

Witchmon narrowed her eyes. "You haven't got it. That girl does." 

"She gave it to me for safekeeping," he said. He opened his hand, letting her see something sparkling there. "You don't really think the other guys would leave something that important with a little girl, would you?" 

To himself, he thought, *_I don't believe I just said that! I sure hope Izumi didn't hear me talking like that about her..._* 

"Well, maybe..." said Witchmon uncertainly. 

"Hey, you don't believe me? Come over and have a look! I'll hold still," he said. 

Witchmon looked skeptical. "Why would you want to do that?" 

"Hey, do I look like the kind of guy who likes to fight?" he said. "I just want to get this all settled peacefully, and if I can persuade you to go away by giving you this stupid rock, that's what I'll do." 

Seeming persuaded, Witchmon began drifting forward - slowly watching him for any signs of wanting to flee. He continued to stand still. 

"That's right," he whispered. "Come over and have a good look." 

Witchmon came as close as she dared and leaned over. Junpei's hand moved, too fast to follow, and she suddenly found a burst of fire rushing up to meet her face. She jumped backwards with a shriek, and Junpei turned and ran. Witchmon blinked, momentarily light-blinded, but now he wasn't making any effort to try to conceal himself. He was sprinting up the bank of the stream as fast as he could travel. Within a few yards, he was joined by the rest of his companions. 

"That was a neat trick!" Tomoki enthused. "How did you do that?" 

Junpei held up the blackened remains of a match. "Flash paper... That's a kind of magician's tool, a kind of paper that burns really fast and bright when you set fire to it. The trick is learning how to set fire to it without setting fire to yourself too." 

"That was well thought out," said Izumi approvingly. "Junpei, can I say something?" 

He looked at her hopefully. "What?" 

"If I ever hear you talking about me like that again, your chances of ever getting a date with me are shot." 

"I didn't mean any of it! Honest!" 

Following Neemon's lead, they eventually came to a place where a number of jagged rocks were jutting out over the edge of the stream. Boulders were strewn haphazardly, some balanced in precarious ways. It looked as if someone could just sneeze and set off an avalanche. Takuya, Kouichi, and Kouji were all standing at the edge of the dropoff, huddled behind a collection of large rocks. 

"Are you ready for us yet?" called Bokomon. "If you aren't, you'd better be soon!" 

"We're all set!" said Takuya. "Everybody get back here with us!" 

They crowded behind the rocks and went into a huddle. 

"How far behind you is that Witchmon?" Kouji asked. 

"Not nearly far enough," Izumi answered. "Are you sure you guys can pull this off?" 

"We can if she flies under the overhang," said Kouichi. 

"How are you going to get her to do that?" asked Junpei. 

"That's kind of the catch," said Kouichi. "We're going to need some kind of bait." 

"You mean one of us has to stand under there and keep her busy until you dump a load of rocks down on her? That's crazy," said Junpei. "We'll get squashed!" 

"Not if you move fast enough," Kouji replied. "If you stand just under the overhang, you should be safe long enough to get out of the way." 

"I'll do it!" Tomoki volunteered. 

Takuya looked worried. "Are you sure about that?" 

"I can do it. I'm smaller and faster than the rest of you. I'll be the safest." 

"Well, if you're sure..." said Takuya. 

Tomoki didn't answer. He simply scooted off to take his place under the jutting rocks. The others saw no choice but to let him go, so they simply ducked out of sight and hoped for the best. 

They didn't have long to worry about it, because a moment later, Witchmon came soaring along one her broom. She was more than frustrated now; she was wildly angry. Her eyes glowed so brightly they almost obscured her face, and her singed hat and hair gave her a sinister look. 

"Brace yourselves," Kouji whispered. 

"All right, that does it!" Witchmon bellowed. "You people show yourselves _this instant_, or I'll make you _really_ sorry!" 

"Oh, no," Tomoki lamented loudly. "The scary Digimon is after me, and I'm cornered here without anywhere to hide!" 

"Aha!" shouted Witchmon victoriously. "Now I've got you! You won't get away from me this time!" 

She swooped toward him. The children moved into action. 

"Now!" Kouji shouted. 

Everyone braced themselves against the rocks and pushed with all their strength. At the sound of Kouji's shout, Tomoki jumped backwards, rolling out of the way and hurrying for the safety of the forest. Witchmon was not so lucky. She saw the rocks hurtling down on her, but was unable to move her broom fast enough to avoid being buried alive. She gave a shriek that quickly became drowned out by the sound of falling rocks. Then there was silence. Dust hovered over the heap of rubble where Witchmon had been visible a moment ago. There was no sign of her now. Tomoki, brushing sand off his clothes, climbed up to join his friends. 

"Told you I could do it!" he said. 

Izumi peered over the edge of the drop. "Is she gone? Did we get her?" 

Bokomon came to join her. "I don't see a data ring. If she'd been destroyed, we should be able to see one. I'd assume she's just dazed. We should think about making a retreat, before..." 

Rocks exploded, and Witchmon came shooting out of the rubble like a rocket. Her clothes were torn, and her hat looked slightly crushed, but other than that, she still seemed to be in perfect health... and absolutely furious. 

"You asked for it!" she shouted. "I told you I'd make you sorry, and now I will! Prepare to meet your doom! _Aquari Pressure!_" 

She hurled a bolt of something bright at them, and suddenly everyone felt themselves blinded and surrounded by light... but light with weight, that pressed down on every inch of their skin, so heavy they couldn't move, and the air was being slowly crushed out of their lungs... 

Then the pressure abated. They looked up groggily, rubbing at their aching skulls and gasping for air. A glance at Witchmon told them she didn't feel much better; she was leaning against a tree with a hand pressed to her forehead. 

"Ow," she whimpered. 

"Better give it up, Witchmon," said Kouji, pulling himself to his feet to glare defiantly at her. "You're outnumbered, out-thought and outmatched. Better go back to wherever you came from and tell your boss you were beaten." 

Witchmon glared at him - a bit unsteadily. He continued to give her a cold, level stare. Finally, she seemed to decide it wasn't worth the effort. 

"You got me once, but you won't do it again!" she said. "Lilithmon will prevail!" 

She jumped on her broom, snatched up her dazed and staggering cat, and charted an erratic course up into the cloudy sky. Kouji sank back to the ground. His defiant act had cost him the last of his energy. 

"That wasn't a whole lot of fun," said Kouichi. "Is everybody still in one piece?" 

"I think so," said Izumi, pulling herself to a sitting position. 

"Did somebody get the number of that truck?" Junpei moaned. 

"Don't complain," said Bokomon, checking to make sure his precious book was all right. "We're lucky to be alive." 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Takuya, not sure if he should be offended or not. 

"Weren't you listening when I told you about her? That was an _Adult_-level Digimon. Like Raremon, Woodmon, Wizarmon..." 

"So what?" asked Takuya. "We've dealt with those kinds of Digimon before. I mean, sometimes it was easier than other times..." 

"Yes, but you did that when you were Digimon - powerful and Legendary Digimon, I should add. You faced her as humans. You have no natural defenses against attacks like that. She used her most powerful attack against you, and you aren't even bruised. It doesn't add up. She should have been far more powerful..." 

"So she's a klutz," said Takuya. "Anybody could see she's not all there... Still, that wasn't exactly the way I'd planned to spend this trip. Maybe we really should be thinking about being a little more careful." 

"So are you still determined to go to the Fallen Moon Temple?" asked Bokomon hopefully. 

"We've got to go somewhere," Kouji pointed out. "You heard that Witchmon. She's going to go back to her boss, and she's probably going to find reinforcements. We want to be as far away from here as possible when that happens." 

"I was afraid you'd say something like that," Bokomon sighed. 

"Well, this has just been great," Takuya muttered. "I wish we still had our Spirits... we woulda kicked that freaky chick's tail. What else is going to go wrong?" 

"Uh, Takuya," said Junpei, "I hate to bring this up, but I think it's..." 

There was a flash of lightning and an answering clap of thunder. Rain came sheeting down, soaking everyone in an instant. 

"...going to rain," Junpei finished unhappily. "Rats. Why couldn't I have been right about something good?" 

"Are you sure we can't stay somewhere dry until this is over?" asked Izumi, without much hope. 

"And suppose this Lilithmon character decides to send some kind of sea creature after us next?" asked Kouji. 

She sighed. "I knew someone would say something like that." 

"Well, I guess there's no help for it," said Kouichi. "We'd better clear out." 

They squidged off into the forest, dripping rainwater. Takuya looked balefully up at the heavy gray sky. 

"I get the feeling someone up there really doesn't like us," he muttered. "Oh, well. Welcome back to the Digital World." 


	3. The Fire Within

**_Author's Note:_** Once again, I'm doing my best to translate attacks off the cards - in this case, FlaWizarmon's. I'm pretty sure I've gotten them right this time, though. Thanks to those who have offered their help. 

**The Fire Within**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

A collection of damp, muddy, and disgruntled teenagers squidged their way out of the forest. It had rained most of the day yesterday, alternating between a drenching deluge and a steady drizzle. They had traveled as far as they could in the soggy weather before finally making a camp in the shelter of a partially fallen tree. It had kept out _most_ of the rain, but chill and damp still crept in, and none of them had been able to get a fire going. Dinner had been a damp and dismal affair, with everyone chewing their rations in silence before huddling up together and trying to get some sleep on the muddy ground. Now they were awake, the sun was shining, and the world had gone from cold and damp to hot and damp. All the moisture of the day before was rising back up into the sky, turning the air almost unbearably humid. 

"Nobody told me this was a rain forest," said Junpei, mopping his face with a handkerchief. All of them were sweating profusely in the muggy air. 

"Look on the bright side," said Takuya. "If we were back home in weather like this, we wouldn't be able to see each other through the mosquitoes." 

"What's a mosky-toe?" asked Neemon. 

"Mosquito," said Kouji patiently. "It's a... it's a little tiny flying thing that bites you and makes you itch." 

"Yuck!" said Neemon. "No wonder you wanted to come back. I wouldn't want to live in a world with those things!" 

"Hey, our world has lots of good things, too," said Tomoki. 

"Yeah, like air conditioning," Izumi agreed. "Hey, Junpei, have you got any more of those handkerchiefs? I'm about to melt." 

"I have enough for everybody," he said. He passed out a rainbow of handkerchiefs so everyone could dry their faces. 

"Never thought Junpei's bag of magic tricks would be so useful," said Kouji. 

Takuya grinned. "Hey, didn't anybody ever tell you? It's not about what you've got, it's about knowing how to use it." 

Kouji raised an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, is _that_ supposed to mean?" 

"It means his magic tricks are useful because he's smart enough to think of practical uses for them," said Kouichi. He gave Takuya a look that just dared him to try to start an argument. Takuya contrived to look innocent. 

"I sure could use a drink of water," said Tomoki to no one in particular. "Not that I'm complaining, but..." 

"We're all thirsty," said Bokomon, "but if memory serves me, we should be nearing a lake. Its water should be clean enough for drinking." 

"Well, why didn't you say so?" asked Takuya. 

Bokomon shrugged. "You never asked." 

"Then let's pick up the pace a little! Come on!" Takuya cheered. 

He put on a burst of speed, breaking away from the rest of the group and crashing through the underbrush, forcing the rest of the group to break into a jog to catch up to him. They scrambled up a sudden rise in the terrain, pushed through a screen of shrubbery, and stopped. In the distance, visible through the trees, was a sparkle of blue water. With a chorus of glad cries, they hurried down the hill, eager to attain the promise of a cool drink and a place to rest. 

When they finally reached the lake, they had to stop - not just to catch their breath, but to admire the view. Without trees blocking the way, they could see it was far broader than they had guessed, so large that the far side was just barely visible in the distance, discernable as a smudge of green that meant more trees, and a cluster of angular shapes that might mean a town of some sort. The lake water was clear, blue, and sparkling, and a cool breeze blew off its surface to fan their faces. Everyone trooped eagerly to its edge to enjoy a cool drink and to splash some water on their hot skin. 

"Hey, Bokomon," said Tomoki, "is this water safe for swimming?" 

"It ought to be safe for just about anything," said Bokomon. "If I could draw your attention to the far side of the lake, you'll see there is a small village there. It is inhabited by a community of Geckomon and other friendly lake Digimon, who make it their life's work to keep these waters clean and free from pests. As long as they don't consider _us_ pests, we ought to be just fine." 

"In that case, I could stand a quick swim," said Takuya. "We can dump all our wet clothes on the beach to dry while we all cool off." 

Junpei looked mildly embarrassed. "I didn't bring any swimming trunks." 

"That's no big deal," said Takuya. "Wear your boxers. Nobody will care." 

The boys stepped off behind the trees to change in privacy, returning a few moments later to spread their still-damp clothing along the shoreline. They found the Digmon splashing happily in the shallows, but there was no sign of the remaining human. 

"Where's Izumi?" asked Junpei. 

"Oh, she's around here somewhere," said Bokomon. "I saw her go off into the woods. Don't worry, if anything starts bothering her, we'll be sure to hear the screaming." 

"Hey, Izumi's not the kind of girl to get scared and scream," said Junpei. 

"Of course not," Bokomon replied, "but I didn't say she was the one who'd be doing the screaming." 

"That's the truth," Takuya said, but quietly, so Junpei wouldn't hear. He tended to take umbrage at any comment about Izumi that didn't sound like it was complimentary. 

They splashed their way into the lake. The water was exactly the right temperature, cool without being chilling, and so clear that they could see to the sandy bottom even when the water got deep. For a few moments, they amused themselves with diving and splashing, occasionally startling a fish or some small water-dwelling Digimon, who swam quickly out of sight when confronted with these large, finless creatures. 

"Hey, guys, who said you could have fun without me, huh?" 

Everyone looked up to see that Izumi had returned, now resplendent in a blue and green striped swimsuit. The boys, obedient to the dictations of hormones, stared, since that was what teenaged boys tended to do when they encountered a pretty girl in a swimsuit. After all, she wasn't a child anymore, and was showing all the signs of growing up to be a beautiful young woman. Takuya glanced over at Junpei to see how he was taking it, and saw him staring blankly as if he'd just been struck by lightning. 

"Looks like somebody needs a cold shower," he said, grinning mischievously. "What do you think, guys?" 

"Huh?" Junpei snapped out of his daze just in time to see his friends surrounding him. The next thing he saw was a great deal of lake water as everyone reached out to duck him under. They let him up almost immediately, and he spluttered and wiped the water out of his eyes while the other boys swam quickly away before he could catch him. 

"That wasn't nice!" called Izumi, laughing. 

"No, but it was fun!" Takuya called back. 

Izumi splashed out into the shallows, then executed a clean dive into the deeper water. She swam past Junpei without speaking to him, but she turned her head long enough to wink at him. Then she flipped and dove underwater, gliding like a porpoise beneath the water. A moment later, Takuya, who had been treading water at a safe distance, suddenly disappeared under the water. He bobbed back to the surface a moment later, eyes wide. 

"Help! Something's got me!" he yelped. 

Izumi put her head above water, panting a little after being underwater so long, but looking pleased with herself nonetheless. 

"Hey, Takuya, nice boxers," she said. "Maybe I'll take them with me next time!" 

He blushed. "Hey, that's not fair!" 

She laughed and paddled away, and owing to the fact that she was the better swimmer of the two, eluded him easily, and he finally gave up in defeat after she'd kicked a wave of water in his face once too many times. 

"Give it up, Takuya," said Kouichi, chuckling quietly at his friend's predicament. "Water just isn't your element." 

"Well, it's not hers, either," Takuya grumped. 

"No, but I have learned how to swim," said Izumi. "After dealing with Ranamon, I decided I was going to make sure water never got the upper hand over me!" 

She twirled in the water and began a smooth sidestroke to the shore. As she passed by Junpei, she said, "Don't let them pick on you... That's my job." 

Then she dove back underwater and vanished from sight. 

"Man, she's cool," said Junpei to no one in particular. 

Watching the spectacle from the shore, Bokomon and Neemon looked at each other. 

"What was all that about?" Neemon asked. 

Bokomon shook his head. "Some things even I can't explain." 

~*~

Witchmon huddled miserably in the deepest shadows she could find, hugging Cat to her for comfort. She was wet and cold and miserable from flying home in a thunderstorm, and her dress was so wet and muddy, she had no idea how she'd ever get clean again. That added just another layer to her level of misery - that she'd get a scolding for getting herself dirty and bedraggled. It was funny how things like that bothered her so much, but she'd never seen any other Digimon having so much trouble with their clothes... 

She sniffled a little, and searched her pockets for something to wipe her nose on. She'd been here crying for who knew how long, and she still didn't feel much better. She had failed. The first time Lilithmon had ever trusted her to do anything really big and important, and she hadn't even been able to finish off even the smallest Baby II Digimon! She couldn't understand where she'd gone wrong. She had used her strongest attack aimed right at them, and it had barely dented any of them. She'd worn herself out worse than she'd hurt them! Of course, she wasn't really used to fighting. Maybe that was it. Maybe she just needed more practice... 

"Witchmon?" A voice drifted down from somewhere. "Witchmon, are you down here sniveling again?" 

Witchmon looked up, peering through blurry eyes to see a dark figure standing at the top of the steps. It was Wisemon, of course. He glided down the stairs to rest a hand on her shoulder. 

"I knew you'd be hiding here," he said. "Just like always, whenever anything goes wrong..." 

Witchmon sniffled. "I'm sorry." 

"I know you are... but I know you are also aware that Lilithmon is going to be very upset when she learns of your failure." 

"I know..." 

Wisemon waved the comment away. "You really are hopeless, Witchmon. Luckily for you, you are still my sister, and I want what's best for you, so I'm going to help you." 

"Oh, thank you," said Witchmon gratefully. "I just don't have any idea what I'm doing, and those nasty people threw rocks at me, and I got my face all burnt, and..." 

Wisemon held up a hand, halting the flow of chatter. 

"I am well aware of what happened to you. I was watching the whole thing in one of my crystal balls," said Wisemon. "You made rather a fool of yourself, letting them trick you like that. We will have to take some more direct action. Since you don't seem to be powerful enough to take care of these meddling children yourself..." 

Wisemon snapped his fingers. There was a rush like a roaring fire, and flame burst up out of the ground. A Digimon appeared in a flash, shining in its own fiery light. Witchmon stared. It stared back with fevered eyes. 

"What is this?" she asked nervously. 

"This," Wisemon answered, "is the solution to your problems. Send him to do battle with the children, and you'll never have any trouble with them again." 

~*~

The time eventually came when everyone decided that swimming had better give way to a more vital pastime - like making lunch. Freshly dressed in dry clothes, they set about the tasks of trying to find something for lunch. A search along the lakeside revealed a stand of cattail-like plants whose roots were said to be edible and could be carried with them for later, so the group spread out along the perimeter of the lake to look for more. Within a few minutes, most of them were out of sight from each other. Then... 

"Argh!" someone shouted. 

Takuya, up to his ankles in lakewater, snapped his head around to look in the direction of the noise. 

"What was that?" he said. 

"That was Kouji!" said Kouichi from further up the beach. "He's in trouble!" 

Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran for the edge of the forest, where the shout had come from. It was ominously silent now, and Takuya found himself worrying. Kouji was his best friend, and a brave warrior even without a Spirit to aid him. The idea of anything hurting him made Takuya feel sick. Of all of them, he was the best able to defend himself. If something could take him out, it could definitely take out the rest of them without breaking a sweat. 

Bursting into a clearing, they found Kouji sitting on the moss, grimacing and rubbing his backside. When the others reached him, he looked up at them all balefully. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked, irritated. 

"We heard you shouting," said Kouichi. "We thought something might have happened." 

"Nothing happened," Kouji replied, hauling himself to his feet. "I saw a fruit tree and decided to climb it, and I wound up startling a Flymon. It surprised me so much I fell out of the tree. That's why I yelled. So I didn't really need help." 

"Well, excuse us for worrying about you!" said Izumi. 

"Ease up on him," Kouichi said. "He's just embarrassed, that's all. It's not every day somebody manages to startle him like that. My brother doesn't spook easy." 

"That's why we were worried," Izumi replied. 

"Well, if I ever am in trouble, I'll shout for help," said Kouji, dusting himself off. "So, as long as we're here... the Flymon is gone now, so somebody can help me with this tree." 

"I'll do it," said Kouichi. 

"Okay. You two take care of yourselves," said Takuya. "And don't fall out of any more trees!" 

Kouji nodded and returned to the treetops. Kouichi scrambled up after him; he wasn't _quite_ the superb martial artist his brother was, but he was agile enough to climb trees without difficulty. They crept along its thick branches, dropping green and red striped fruits to the ground. 

"So," said Kouichi at length, "what's really going on?" 

Kouji lowered his eyes. "Why do you think something's going on?" 

"Because I'm your twin, that's why. You can't hide anything from me, and you know it," said Kouichi. "Besides, I know you. You don't let yourself get spooked by little things. Why are you so jumpy?" 

"I don't know," Kouji replied. "Actually... I do know. I'm just feeling very... exposed. Unprotected. I thought I could deal with being out here without a Spirit, but... I don't remember ever spending a whole day in the Digital World without one. And I've seen the kind of things that are out there. I'm just not very happy about not having any real protection against them. If Witchmon had been more powerful, even by a little bit..." 

"We survived. Ifs don't really matter at this point," said Kouichi. 

"All right, then, what about what could happen next time?" 

"I think we'll survive, then, too," answered Kouichi slowly. "We aren't unprotected. We have each other. And the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors are still watching over us. We saw them. I don't think they'll let us get into _too_ much trouble." 

"True..." said Kouji. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am worrying too much." 

"Well, next time you're worried, tell me about it," said Kouichi. "After all, I'll find out sooner or later, anyway." 

"Sad but true," Kouji answered, smiling a little. "All right. Let's gather these things and get back to camp, before anyone gets worried again." 

The gang ate lunch on the shores of the lake, inspected the area to make sure they weren't leaving any unnecessary mess behind, and set out again. A pleasant breeze blew off the surface of the lake, making the air cool and comfortable, an agreeable change after being in the muggy forest. The sun shone as if it had never even imagined the possibility of rain. In the distance, they could see the patchwork sails of fishing boats as the lake Digimon went about their business. The edge of the lake was covered in pebbly sand, hard packed and easy to travel. On the whole, it was the perfect place to walk. The good spirits that had been dampened by the rain were restored, and for a few minutes, they could forget that they had ever been in danger. 

At least, some of them could. Takuya was walking a few yards ahead of the others, peering into the trees and shrubbery, watching the sky, and keeping to himself. Tomoki picked up his pace a bit to walk beside him. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You're being quiet." 

"I'm okay," Takuya reassured him. "I'm just... you know, thinking about stuff." 

"Oh," said Tomoki. "What are you thinking about?" 

"I dunno. A lot of stuff, I guess. I mean... I got a scare last night. I thought this was going to be a lot of fun, you know? I thought we'd come and visit some old friends, have some adventures, have a good time. Now I don't know. I don't much like the idea of knowing there's something out there that would like to blast us all to bits... but I don't really want to turn around and go home, either." 

"Neither do I," said Tomoki. "We can't give up yet! We just got here!" 

Takuya smiled a little. "I knew you were a guy after my own heart. So, what are we going to do now? I guess it's too much to hope we'll find another set of Spirits lying around." 

Tomoki's face fell. "I miss having a Spirit. It's just not the same without it." 

"I know what you mean," said Takuya quietly. "I hadn't realized until a little while ago... it's not just being here that I missed. I mean, I did miss the Digital World, and Bokomon and Neemon and all our other Digimon friends, and all of us getting to spend time together, but it's more than that. I miss being part of something. I used to be a Digimon. I used to belong here. Now I'm back to being just a human visitor..." 

"No, you're not," said Tomoki. "Of course you're part of the Digital World! It wouldn't even be here without us!" 

"I know that. It's just... different now," he said. "It sounds weird, but I kind of miss Agnimon. He was my first friend when I got to the Digital World. I kind of thought he'd always be here for me. It's rough to turn around and realize one of your best friends isn't around just when you need him most." 

"Yeah..." said Tomoki. "Nobody else would understand it, would they? I mean, except the six of us." 

"You're right. Imagine if we tried to explain to anyone who hadn't been here what it's like to be a Digimon!" Takuya agreed. "There's no other feeling like it, that's for sure." 

"Do you think we'll ever do it again?" Tomoki asked. 

"If there's a way in the Digital World, we'll find it," said Takuya positively. "And if there isn't, we'll _make_ one." 

"Yeah!" Tomoki cheered, and Takuya grinned. Having Tomoki around was a good cure for the blues. Not only did it cheer him up, it gave him hope. Who knew? Maybe there _was_ something out there that would let a human become a Digimon. After all, there were parts of the Digital World that were still unexplored, and all kinds of knowledge that had been lost over the centuries. And how many humans had traversed this world before Ophanimon had sent her call out? It was possible that the answer to his wish was out there somewhere, unknown because there had never been a human around to take advantage of it before. Anything was possible, here. 

*_I sure hope so,_* he thought. *_I sure would like to be a Digimon again..._* 

~*~

Witchmon risked a glance at the ground below. It was moving along at a terrific rate - which to her meant a terrifying rate. She couldn't understand how Lilithmon could condone this kind of transportation. Her ruler had always been a great believer in moving slowly, with dignity and grace, so how could she possibly want Witchmon to be zipping through the sky like a bolt of lightning? Behind her, Witchmon could hear Cat yowling in terror. As for Witchmon herself, she kept her lips pressed shut so she would not embarrass herself by doing some yowling herself. Or throwing up. 

To take her mind off her discomfort, she tried to interest herself in the creature her brother had loaned her. It was the warriors who still served Lilithmon, or were enslaved to her. There wasn't much distinction, really. Since Lilithmon had given up on making war with her neighbors, most of them had either been released to their own homes, except for a few who were sealed away in dungeons below the manor in case Lilithmon wanted someone to practice her spells on. This one appeared to be one of the latter; he still had glowing chains wrapped around his shoulders and torso, chains that glowed with traces of purplish-red magic in Witchmon's sight. The chains would force him to obey Lilithmon or any of her chosen servants, but she knew from experience that compulsion-magic was hardly comfortable, even painful. After being kept imprisoned for so long, the captive Digimon didn't appear to be quite sane anymore. She felt sorry for anything that crossed its path. 

*_I hope they surrender this time,_* thought Witchmon. *_Maybe if they just give up the Star and go home, Lilithmon won't want to hurt them anymore... Then I won't have to deal with this _thing_ anymore..._* 

She glanced back down at the ground, where her traveling companion was loping along, easily keeping pace with her zigzagging flight. Even from up in the air, she could hear it laughing crazily at nothing, a high-pitched giggle that made her stomach knot. Nobody in their right mind could laugh like that. She only hoped that nobody in their right mind would want to fight with it, either. 

Meanwhile, a group of teenagers were sitting in a circle around a small campfire, watching the sun set over the lake. Though they had made good time that day, they had been traveling a convoluted path, following the edge of the lake rather than try to fight their way through the brambles of the forest. What had looked like a short hike to the other side of the lake had turned into an hours-long undertaking. 

"Looks like we'll reach the village tomorrow," Kouji commented, staring out across the lake. Where they had once been able to see the angular shapes that made up the town, they could only see a cluster of golden lights, as residents lit lamps and campfires of their own. 

"Do you think they'll be glad to see us?" asked Izumi. 

"The villagers have a reputation as hospitable people," said Bokomon. "Even if they don't welcome us, I doubt they'll give us a fight. I was hoping they would have heard some information about the Fabled Artifacts." 

"Oh, I get it," said Kouichi. "You're hoping they'll give us a new lead so _you_ won't have to go to the Fallen Moon Temple, right?" 

Bokomon blushed brilliantly. "That's not it at all!" he said, confirming everyone's suspicions. 

"What's so bad about that place, anyway?" asked Junpei curiously. 

"Well... That's a bit of a story, really. If I could direct your attention to the heavens for a moment..." 

"Huh?" said Neemon. 

"Just look at the sky!" said Bokomon. "As I was saying, above our heads now are the three moons: Ophanimoon, Cherubimoon, and Seraphimoon. Now, according to legend, there was once a different moon, a Lucemoon, that shone with a pure white light, brighter than any of the others. However, when Lucemon took his fall from grace, the moon fell out of the sky and crashed into the earth, and the Cherubimoon appeared to take its place. Of course, this is only a silly story - moons just don't appear out of nowhere. Still... there is a wasteland where the story holds that the moon fell, and a temple was built there, and that some less-than-savory sorts have held sway there is nothing less than solid fact." 

"I can imagine!" said Kouichi. "Who would want to build a temple on ground that was supposed to belong to Lucemon?" 

"Well, he was a great leader in his day," said Bokomon. "It was only after years of peace that he became corrupted. Some of his followers were slower than others to abandon him. Some believed his words. Some didn't care." 

"I think you're right," said Junpei. "That does sound like the kind of place you stay far, far away from." 

"It sounds like the kind of place a corrupted Artifact might be hidden, too," said Kouji thoughtfully. "Maybe we _should_ have a look at it. Maybe we can clean it out once and for all. What do you think, Takuya? Takuya?" 

"Hm?" said Takuya. He had been staring into the fire, his expression distant. 

"We were talking about going to the Fallen Moon Temple," said Kouji impatiently. "Weren't you listening?" 

"Sorry. I was just daydreaming, I guess," said Takuya. "What were you saying?" 

"We were discussing whether or not we still want to go there," said Kouichi. "Is something wrong with you tonight? You aren't acting like yourself." 

"Oh. Sorry. It's just... I've got this funny feeling..." said Takuya. 

"What kind of feeling?" asked Izumi. 

"I dunno. I can't quite place it," Takuya admitted. "I just have this funny feeling that something bad is going to happen." 

"It's just your imagination," said Junpei. "You're just worried about being out in the wilderness without a Spirit. We all are, a little." 

"I guess you're right," said Takuya, relaxing a little. "It has kind of been on my mind." 

"Well, don't worry about it too much," said Kouichi. "We may be only human, but we're not exactly defenseless." 

Takuya smiled. "I know. Maybe I'm just trying too hard to be a good leader, but-" 

A log in the fire snapped, and Takuya jumped, his face going suddenly white. 

"Easy, man!" said Kouji. "It's just a log." 

"It's coming," said Takuya quietly. 

"Huh?" said Junpei. "What are you talking about?" 

"I don't know, but I _do_ know," said Takuya. Shaking his head, he said, "I mean, I know something's coming. I don't ask you to understand - _I_ don't really understand - but something is coming, and it's coming by fire." 

"What does that mean?" Tomoki asked. 

"I don't know, exactly," said Takuya. "I just-" 

"You just know," finished Bokomon. 

"You know, he's really creepy when he does this," said Neemon to nobody in particular. 

"How can he know if something bad is coming or not?" asked Kouichi. "Are you trying to tell me he's done this before?" 

"He's done it before," said Bokomon. "He knew when a storm was coming, once." 

"So did we," said Junpei. "Remember that, Izumi? Yesterday we both knew it was going to storm." 

"That's right. I felt the wind change," she remembered. "And you heard the thunder..." 

"That's it, then," said Kouji. "We've still got a connection to our elements. Maybe not as much as we used to, but enough to know when something bad is happening." 

"We couldn't do it back home," said Junpei. "I sure wish I could have predicted the weather. I would never have forgotten my umbrella so much." 

"It was different, then," said Takuya. "I was Agunimon, then... and I'd just undergone some pretty intense experiences. Right now, though, I'm pretty sure we ought to get out of here." 

"Where?" asked Kouji. "Do you want us to swim into the lake? Or should we go into the forest and wait for your fire to come and burn us to bits?" 

"Um," said Takuya. "Good point." 

"Looks like our only choice is to get out of the way," said Kouichi. "Which way is the trouble coming from?" 

"I don't know!" he shouted. "I'm lucky I know as much as I do, okay?" 

"Don't panic!" said Kouji. "We should be okay as long as we stay near water." 

"Well, there's enough of that around," said Izumi in a tone of resignation. 

"Maybe we should at least try to head for the village?" Junpei said. "I mean, if we don't know where the trouble is coming from or how close it is, they could be in danger..." 

That seemed to snap Takuya out of his daze. "Right. Good thinking. Come on, gang, let's get a move on already!" 

They raced up the shoreline, their feet sinking into the sand as they pounded the ground. A few of them got jostled and wound up splashing their feet into the lake, but they were in too much of a hurry to complain. The lights of the village still looked impossibly distant. Even running at full speed, it seemed unlikely that they would be able to reach it in time. And in time for what? Something bad, he'd said, that was coming by fire... whatever _that_ meant... 

Suddenly, Takuya skidded to a halt, making the people behind him crash into him. Kouji managed to catch himself in time; Junpei overbalanced and fell, and Tomoki tripped over him. 

"What did you do that for?" Junpei complained. 

"Go back! Go back!" said Takuya. 

"What? Why?" asked Kouichi. 

"I just realized, we're going the wrong way!" Takuya shouted, trying to back away. 

"Why couldn't you have thought of that earlier?" Kouji complained. 

"Hey, I'm not in charge of this thing," said Takuya. 

He turned around and began trying to run in the other direction. He didn't make it. Before he had gone ten paces, the air was rent by a strange sound - a high-pitched giggle that verged on a shriek. Everyone froze. 

"I don't like the sound of that," said Kouji grimly. 

"You're in trouble now!" shouted a voice above their heads. "Surrender, or you're going to be really, really sorry!" 

They looked up and were not surprised to see Witchmon flying unsteady circles over their heads. A gust of wind off the lake made her wobble, and it was preventing her from going straight, or even in a relatively even curve. 

"Oh, it's you again," said Junpei derisively. "I thought we got rid of you." 

"You won't get rid of a servant of Lilithmon that easily!" Witchmon retorted. "I told you I'd pay you back for what you did to me, and now I'm back, and I brought help. I'm giving you one last chance: gimme the necklace and go home, or you'll have to face my friend!" 

"As if!" Izumi shouted back. "Why don't you take advantage of the scenery and go jump in a lake!" 

"You're the ones who are going to be swimming!" said Witchmon. "Just wait until you see what I've got! FlaWizarmon, come forth!" 

There was a flash, as several trees burst into blue flame and disintegrated into ash. Everyone cried out and shielded their eyes from the heat. When it faded to a bearable level, they looked up, peering into what was left of the trees. There was something glowing there. 

"Is that a FlaWizarmon?" asked Takuya. "I think I liked the other Wizarmon better!" 

The FlaWizarmon leered at them, the expression made more menacing by the blue flames that hovered around him. He was a scarecrow-like creature, thin and gnarled, with a stitched mouth and unruly spikes of charred-looking hair. Only his eyes seemed truly alive, blue as the flames and alight with madness. Its clothing was in flaming shades of red and orange, from his ragged peaked cap to his heavy red boots, all of it smeared with an accumulation of grime and soot. He carried two wands like giant matchsticks, one red, one blue. He threw back his head and laughed again, and the humans backed away instinctively. 

"What's the matter, children?" the wizard sneered. "Don't you think I'm pretty? Maybe if you saw me in a better light... _Magic Ignition!_" 

He flourished his red wand, and the foliage around him burst into sudden flame, filling the area with bloody light. The forest was still damp from the previous day's rain, but the fire was magical, and it was slowly spreading, filling the air with clouds of dark smoke. FlaWizarmon cackled again. 

"Stop fooling around!" Witchmon shouted, trying to escape the leaping flames. "You're only supposed to flame them, not me!" 

FlaWizarmon shot her a look of pure loathing, but the chains around him glowed more brightly, making him cringe away, and he turned back to the gathering of humans. 

"Did you see that?" said Kouichi. "Those chains... those must be what are controlling him!" 

"So what happens if we get rid of them?" asked Takuya. 

"Only one way to find out," Kouji replied. "Keep him distracted, guys." 

Before anyone could agree, he darted off into an unlit corner of the woods. 

"Well, you heard him!" said Takuya. "Let's keep Hothead there busy!" 

There was an immediate scramble as everyone scattered, running in crazy circles and shouting insults - and then dodging as a flurry of blue fireballs rushed towards them. Neemon yelped as one of them singed the seat of his pants, and he dove into the lake with a hiss of steam. Tomoki's shirt caught fire, and he had to drop and roll in the sand to extinguish it. FlaWizarmon didn't appear to mind that he had thus far not seriously damaged anyone; they were caught between him and the lake, with no real chance of escaping him, not when he could set the forest around them afire and box them in with flames. He was enjoying watching them scamper, waiting for them to tire so he could finish them off at his leisure. 

But in the scuffle, he hadn't seen Kouji vanish into the forest. He also didn't see him return again, bearing a long forked stick. He did notice, though, when someone leaped at him from the back, jabbed him with the branch, and twisted, tangling the chains of magic in its prongs. FlaWizarmon howled, and Witchmon winced. 

"Don't do that!" she shouted. "Whatever you do, don't break the chains!" 

"If you don't think I ought to do it, that's a good reason why I should," Kouji replied. He gave the stick a final twist and a jerk, and the bonds of magic dissolved with an electrical crackle and a burst of purple light. Kouji was thrown backwards with enough force to slam him into a tree. 

"Oh, we're in for it now..." Witchmon whimpered. 

"_Free!_" howled the wizard. "At last, after all these years, I'm _free!_ Now I will have my revenge on all those who dared to enslave me... starting with _you!_" 

And he turned and threw a blast of fire at Kouji. The battered teen was just barely able to dodge out of the way, and watched in astonishment as the tree he'd been leaning against burst into flames and acrid smoke. 

"What did you do that for?" he shouted. "I was the one who freed you!" 

"Don't you get it?" Witchmon shouted at him. "That' thing's crazy! He's been locked up in a dungeon for so long, he doesn't know up from down anymore! He thinks _everything_ is his enemy!" 

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Kouji shouted back. 

"I tried to! You wouldn't listen!" 

"Oh, shut up," said FlaWizarmon. He threw a burst of flame at her, and it caught the tail of her broom on fire. She lost control and dropped out of the sky with a shriek. More or less fortunately, she landed in the lake. Since no one was feeling particularly kindly toward her at that moment, everyone ignored her. 

"Nice going, genius!" Takuya shouted at Kouji. "Got any more bright ideas?" 

"I'm allowed to make one mistake!" Kouji shouted back. 

"I have a bright idea," said FlaWizarmon. "I'd like to have a little bonfire to celebrate my newfound freedom... and _you_ can be the guests of honor! _Fire Cloud!_" 

Blue fire exploded through the air. The humans a Digimon on the beach had only one option: a dive into the lake. They resurfaced a few feet out, wet and spluttering but more or less unharmed. 

"Oh, you want to go for a swim?" said FlaWizarmon. "The water is cold this time of night. Let me warm it for you!" 

He walked to the shore of the lake and plunged the tips of both his wands into the water. Immediately, the water closest to him started to bubble. The bubbling spread steadily outwards, filling the air with steam as well as smoke. The unfortunates in the lake gave each other inquisitive looks. 

"He can't possibly boil this whole lake," said Junpei. "Can he?" 

"He looks like he wants to try," said Tomoki. 

"This is awful!" That was Witchmon, still bobbing helplessly a few yards away. "We're all going to drown!" 

"Nobody asked you!" Takuya snapped. "Maybe if we swim further out, he won't be able to reach us..." 

"No good," said Witchmon. "He's a wizard, remember? He can fly! Don't you get it? We're all trapped out here. I just knew I was going to bungle this again..." 

"Well, if we're all trapped together, maybe we can get un-trapped together," said Kouichi. "I say let's make a truce. We can go back to trying to kill each other after we're safe from FlaWizarmon." 

"I don't know," said Izumi. "How do we know we can trust her?" 

"She hasn't lied to us yet," Takuya pointed out. "And if she doesn't help us, she's sunk. She doesn't have much choice. Right?" 

Witchmon nodded meekly. "I just want to go home." 

"I think I believe her," said Tomoki. 

"Me, too," said Junpei. 

"Then I guess we're going to go through with it," said Kouji. "Has anyone got any ideas what to do now?" 

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Gimme a minute," said Takuya. "Say, Witchmon, how much of a load can that broom of yours carry?" 

"I don't know. I've never tested it." 

"Well, could it carry one of us?" Takuya asked. 

Witchmon thought. "I don't know. I think I could carry one of you, but only one. And I wouldn't be able to fly very fast or very high or dodge very well, so-" 

"But it would still be faster than we could swim, and we're less likely to get boiled that way," Takuya finished. "The two of us can keep him distracted, while the rest of you guys swim for shore. I'll keep him from knocking Witchmon out of the sky, and she'll keep me from being toasted." 

"I don't know," said Kouji. "Your plans don't always work perfectly." 

"And yours did?" he retorted. "Anyway, we don't have time to argue about it. Sooner or later, Torchfinger over there is going to get tired of sitting on the shore, and he'll fly over here to see if shooting fish in a barrel is really that easy. What do you say, Witchmon? Are you up for it?" 

She hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I can fly again if someone will hold my broom up." 

Both twins grabbed one end of the broom and lifted it a few feet above the water, and Witchmon jumped aboard, splashing everyone with water and making her cat squall. Once she was aboard, she seemed to weigh nothing at all; the boys could hold her up easily. When Takuya vaulted on, the broom lowered very slightly, but the weight was still easy to bear. 

"Hold on tight," said Witchmon. "I'm not very good at this, and I've never had a passenger before." 

"Thanks for warning me," said Takuya, taking a death grip on the broom. 

They went up. Takuya felt his stomach lurch as the lake dropped away below him - and lurch a bit more as the broom wobbled unsteadily. They shot forward, tracing a tottering up-and- down path through the sky. The cat squalled, and Takuya swallowed hard; he'd been on roller coasters tamer than this. Witchmon's hair whipped in his face, blinding and half-choking him. He freed one hand long enough to brush it out of his face, looked down, and saw FlaWizarmon looking up at them. 

"Dodge!" he shouted, shoving Witchmon's shoulder as reinforcement. 

Witchmon wheeled hard to the left, almost throwing Takuya off the broomstick, and he felt something hot go whizzing past his right ear. 

"Thanks!" Witchmon said. 

"No problem," he muttered, trying to steady himself. 

"I'm going down," said Witchmon. "Get ready to jump. Ready.... Jump!" 

Takuya jumped, and landed in a pile of sand and pond reeds. Above his head, he heard Witchmon shriek as her broom suddenly shot to full speed again. Takuya rolled over and spat out a mouthful of sand. 

"I'm never riding one of those things again," he said. 

He pulled himself to his feet and looked up to assess the situation. Witchmon was zooming in loops around FlaWizarmon, trying frantically to dodge his fireballs. One of them knocked her hat off as she whizzed by. On the lake, the he could see his friends swimming frantically for shore. 

A moment later, FlaWizarmon was distracted by a handful of mud hitting him in the face. He bellowed, dropping his wands to wipe the sticky stuff out of his eyes. When he could see again, he looked up to see Takuya standing a few yards away, holding another handful of smelly pond sludge and looking insolent. 

"Hey, Fireman!" he said. "Your mother was a Zippo lighter!" 

"I never had a mother," FlaWizarmon replied, "and yours is about to lose a son. _Fire Cloud!_" 

Takuya tried to move, but the fireball was faster than he was. He only had taken a few steps before the bolt struck. It was those few steps, though, that saved him; instead of striking him, it hit the place where he'd been standing. Ground exploded upwards, and so did Takuya. He spun wildly through the air, finally coming to rest in the patch of trees and brush that FlaWizarmon had set fire to earlier. 

Right in the hottest part of the flames. 

The rest of his group, staggering through the shallows of the lake, stopped to stare in horror. 

"Takuya!" Tomoki shouted. 

"No!" said Junpei. "It can't be... He can't be gone..." 

"He's not," said Kouji fiercely. "There's no way he'd let himself get finished off that easily. He's got to be alive in there somewhere. He's - he's back behind the fire somewhere. He can still get out. We can help him." 

"No, we can't," said Kouichi gently. "Even if he's still okay, there's no way we can get through the flames to help him." 

"That's right!" FlaWizarmon cackled. "Now it's your turn! _Fire Cloud!_" 

"_Aqueri Pressure!_" 

The attack barely fazed him. He stumbled a little, and that was all... but it was enough. His attack went wild, sailing off to one side to land harmlessly in the lake. Distracted from their personal tragedy, the others scampered to avoid meeting the same fate as their friend. 

Meanwhile, Takuya lay dazed in a pile of brush, eyes closed. He was dimly aware of being surrounded by warmth - not heat or pain, just a gentle, pleasant warmth, as if he were resting in a hot bath. It dried his cold, damp clothing and eased his pains and weariness, restoring his energy. He opened his eyes. 

He was surrounded by flames. From where he lay, there was nothing in the world but the shadows of night and crackling flames that rose man-high or higher, flames that seemed to have no end. He sat up and stared, fascinated. The flames were brushing his skin, and yet he wasn't being burned by them. His clothing was starting to look a little singed around the edges, but he felt fine - wonderful, in fact. The flames were like the embrace of a friend, warm and comforting. As he watched them, something inside seemed to answer them. The crackling of flames and the hissing of steam and smoke seemed almost like words. 

*_Fire... Fire is the spark of life, the beginning of all things. All life came from the fire of the sun. It burns in the heart of the earth. Fire is the light in the darkness, protection from danger, warmth in the winter. Fire is the symbol of courage and passion. It is in you; you are Fire!_* 

"The fire is in me," he whispered. "_I am Fire!_" 

To those watching from the outside, it seemed that the fire in the forest suddenly flashed hotter and brighter than ever, so that even FlaWizarmon had to back away a few paces. Then all of it died out, swirling away as if it were rushing down a drain, being pulled to some point at its center. Then it was gone... except for something that glowed ember-bright at the center of the darkness. It was moving. 

Out of the forest came a small Digimon. It stood no taller than any of the humans, but it carried itself with pride and determination. It was shaped roughly like a human, clad only in loose pants and a pair of crossed leather straps across its chest, held in place with a large metal medallion. There were stubby horns on its head, protruding from a mane of yellow hair, and a shaggy tail the color of fire sprung from behind him. Its hands and feet were tipped in short claws, and fangs glinted from its mouth. 

"Who or what is that?" asked Izumi. 

"I'm not sure," Bokomon admitted, "but I have the strangest feeling its... Takuya." 

"I am Flamon," said the Digimon, "and I'm here to have a few words with the guy who thinks he can play with fire without my permission!" 

"I don't need your permission to do anything!" FlaWizarmon snapped. 

Flamon snorted in derision. He'd show this pesky prestidigitator to mess with a Spirit of Fire! He dropped to all fours and sprang. 

"_Baby Salamander!_" 

A plume of flame shot from his mouth, briefly engulfing FlaWizarmon. The wizard snarled and twirled his wand, dispelling the flames. Flamon pounced on him, lashing him with his fiery tail before springing away again. 

"Takuya, you idiot!" Kouji shouted at him. "You can't fight fire with fire, remember?" 

Flamon shot an inquisitive look at the strange being that was shouting at him. What were these people doing on the beach? And what, for that matter, was a Takuya? 

*_Oh, right, that's what they call me when I'm not Flamon,_* he thought fuzzily. *_But that's weird. I'm always Flamon..._* 

Well, he'd worry about it later. Right now, he had to deal with the FlaWizarmon. At least the strange creature seemed to have good advice; it really didn't seem to work to fight this creature with fire attacks. Every time he tried, FlaWizarmon simply batted them away. He'd have to try a different tactic. He went to all fours, racing across the hard-packed sand, gathering as much speed as he could. He could see FlaWizarmon collecting himself, waiting for his opponent to launch another attack. Well, he would get one! With a wild battle cry, Flamon charged FlaWizarmon and kicked him into the air. The stunned sorcerer sailed gracefully through the air with a look of surprise on his face, which was visible up until the point when he splashed into the lake. There was a colossal fizz and a burst of steam. A few seconds later, the bright shape of an egg could be seen rising from the lake and drifting away to start its life over again. 

"Way to go, Takuya!" Tomoki cheered. "You really showed him! ... Huh? Takuya? What's wrong?" 

Flamon was paying no attention to the humans on the beach. He threw back his head and gave a howl of victory before turning and bounding off into the forest. 

"Quick! After him!" Kouji shouted, and he rushed off in the direction Flamon had gone. 

The others followed. Fortunately, Flamon was easy to follow; he glowed softly in the dark. They caught up to him in a forested glade, where he seemed to have stopped to rest. He looked at them all with confusion. 

"It's you again," he said. "Why are you following me? You're safe from FlaWizarmon now. You don't need to thank me. I was just doing what I had to do." 

"Come on, Takuya, quit talking like that," said Junpei. "Don't you recognize us? We're your friends, remember?" 

Flamon scratched his head with a hind foot. "I don't think so." 

"This is getting weird," said Kouji. "Are you sure this is Takuya?" 

"It sure doesn't look like Takuya," Neemon observed. 

"Thank you for pointing that out," said Bokomon. "I never would have noticed. However, he does bear a striking resemblance to Agnimon, and he did come from the direction Takuya went..." 

"Of course I'm not Takuya. I'm Flamon," the Digimon insisted. "Maybe I used to be Takuya, but I'm not anymore. And I really don't remember you all." 

"Nothing at all?" asked Tomoki. "About any of us? You don't remember the first time you came to the Digital World, or fighting Cherubimon, or Lucemon, or any of it?" 

"Sorry. None of that means anything to me," said Flamon. "I'm really sorry - I mean, I can tell this means a lot to you, but I just don't remember anything... or... wait a minute. Hm. I think I remember you." 

And he pointed at Kouichi. The boy blinked. 

"Me?" he said, puzzled. "Why me?" 

"I saw you somewhere before... years ago, I think," Flamon went on. "It was in this weird place, like a Trailmon station. I remember being confused because you looked so much like... like Kouji! That's right! Your name is Kouji, isn't it? And you, you're Kouichi. I remember now!" 

"That's right," said Kouji encouragingly. "Come on. What else do you remember?" 

"Umm... Well, I got on the Trailmon... no, it was a... a train, that's it. The Trailmons that can't talk are called trains. Okay, and, umm... I was following myself, because I didn't want me to go back to the Digital World." 

Izumi shook her head. "He's lost it. He's gone completely around the bend." 

"No, no, no! I'm telling you, I remember it!" Flamon insisted. "It was right after a fight, and you'd gotten hurt, Kouji, and I had been thinking the Digital World would be better off without me, and I rode the Trailmon of Darkness back home again. He took me back to the beginning, to when it all started, so I could change it so I never came here, and when he did, I turned into Flamon." 

"Is any of this making sense?" asked Junpei. 

"Vaguely," said Bokomon. "The Trailmon of Darkness can only be found by those who have lost all hope. He's almost mythological. It's not unheard of for him to make such a journey. History has been known to hinge on it." 

"I remember that battle," said Kouji thoughtfully. "It was the one where we fought with... with Duskmon," he finished, with an apologetic shrug and a glance at his brother. Kouichi made a dismissive gesture. "Takuya disappeared for a while after that..." 

"And it was after he came back that he was able to predict the storm," said Bokomon. "Or cause it." 

"Well, you weren't riding any Dark Trailmons today," said Izumi, "so how come you're Flamon now?" 

"I don't know," he admitted. "It wasn't like this before. I knew exactly who I was - I knew I was supposed to be Takuya, but I was stuck this way... And I'm still stuck. How do I change back? I wanted to be a Digimon again, but I didn't want to have to stay this way!" 

"What's wrong with being a Digimon?" asked Neemon. "I've been this way all my life, and I like it just fine." 

"Yeah, but you're supposed to be a Digimon," Flamon complained. "I can't go home looking like this! Nobody will recognize me!" 

"Well, let's take this logically," said Bokomon. "Do you remember what happened directly before you turned into Flamon?" 

"Well, I, um... I remember getting blasted by FlaWizarmon, and then..." Flamon screwed up his face in concentration. "I remember fire. Lots of fire." 

"That's all?" Kouji prompted. 

"That's all. I was just looking at the fire, thinking about how good it felt to be there, how it seemed almost alive. I felt like I was part of it, and it was part of me..." 

"All the fire disappeared," Kouichi remembered. "Like it was being pulled into something. Is it possible that somehow Takuya... I don't know, absorbed it or something? Really made it part of himself, and that's how he turned into a fire Digimon." 

"Lacking any other hypotheses, we might have to go with that idea," said Bokomon. "I suppose if other Digimon around here can absorb fractal code, a former warrior of flame can absorb a forest fire." 

"Well, that doesn't help me very much," Flamon griped. "If that's what I did, I don't even know how I did it, much less how to undo it." 

"You did it by thinking," said Bokomon. "So if you can become a fire Digimon by thinking about fire, it stands to reason that perhaps you could become human again by thinking about being human." 

"Um. Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," said Flamon. 

He closed his eyes and tried to think about being human. It was easier to think about rushing through the forest on four paws and howling at the moon, but he buckled down and cleared those thoughts from his mind. Human, human... only two feet, two hands, no paws, no claws. No more horns, no more shaggy ruff of fur, just short human hair. No more tail. Human... 

"Ooh! That was neat! Do it again!" Neemon crowed. 

"Cut it out! You're distracting me," said Takuya. He blinked and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw were his jeans, slightly scorched. He held up his hands, noting eight fingers and two thumbs, none with claws. "Oh. Did it work? Am I back?" 

"Looks that way to me," said Kouji, smiling. "Good thing, too. You're a pain as a human, but you're even more trouble as a Digimon." 

"Very funny," said Takuya. He grinned. "Feels pretty good to be back, though." 

"See, Takuya? I just knew you'd find a way to be a Digimon," said Tomoki. "Do you think you could do it again?" 

Takuya thought about it. Closing his eyes, he thought he sensed something, like a smoldering ember in his heart, just waiting to be fanned to life. He nodded. 

"Yeah, I think I could do it again," he said. "I don't know if I should or not, though. I mean, what if I forget who I am again? I couldn't remember anything about being human - not you guys or my family or anything." 

"You only thought you couldn't," Kouichi corrected. "You remembered just fine once you had someone to remind you. You're right, though. It doesn't sound like something you should play with. We should all be careful... After all, it could happen to us." 

"I hope so!" said Tomoki. "I want to be a Digimon, too!" 

"Well, _I_ want to get dry again," said Junpei. "This is the second night in a row we've all ended up soaked!" 

"Good idea," said Izumi. "Let's go find someplace that isn't toasted and make a new campsite." 

"Fine with me. I'm bushed," said Takuya, hauling himself to his feet. "Just don't ask me to light the campfire!" 

~*~

Witchmon returned home in low spirits. Not only had she failed in her mission, she'd had to help her own enemies to save her skin. Even so, she had still ended up muddy, soggy, and scorched. To have failed, to have been forced to aid the enemy, and to get dirty... Lilithmon would be furious. 

*_And they didn't even thank me,_* she mused sadly. Oh, she hadn't expected much, but a few words of gratitude wouldn't have killed them, would it? Even if they were on opposite sides, the least they could have done was acknowledge that she had kept the truce, that she had done her best for them. But no, as soon as they had no more use for her, they had gone running off. 

*_Completely ungrateful. I should have let FlaWizarmon have them,_* she thought. 

She shook her head. She could think like that all she wanted, but she knew why they weren't grateful to her. It was because she had failed them as badly as she had failed Lilithmon. She hadn't been able to protect their friend - what was his name? Takuya, that was it. They had been trusting her to keep Takuya safe, and she hadn't. If it hadn't been for some miracle, something she had nothing to do with, he would have been dead, and it would have been her fault. They would never forgive her for that... not that they had any reason to, anyway... 

*_Maybe Lilithmon won't make me go back,_* she thought. *_She'll realize I'm not good enough for this job, and she'll send someone else to do it instead. Wisemon, maybe. He could do it. He never gets confused like I do. I know they're supposed to be my enemies, but... they helped me, and I just hurt them in return, and I don't want to do it again. I don't want to hurt them when I owe them my life..._* 

"You are getting mud on my floors, Witchmon." 

Witchmon looked up - and immediately kneeled in subservience, moving so abruptly that she bumped her nose on her knee. 

"I'm very sorry, my lady," she blurted. 

"You are sorry indeed, to have failed me so completely," said Lilithmon. She loomed over Witchmon, seeming to fill the corridor with the spread of her wings. "Twice now, you have proven yourself unable to deal with even the most minor tasks, even with help. You have failed in your mission. You have fraternized with the enemy. You have lost one of my prize warriors. You deserted your post. You have disgraced me with your cowardice and your slovenly ways." 

"I beg your forgiveness, my lady." 

"You do not deserve it. It is obvious that my objectives will not be completed if the task rests in your hands. You must be punished." 

Witchmon braced herself, but bracing did no good. She felt Lilithmon's clawed hand come to rest on her shoulder, and instantly, her world exploded with pain. For a few seconds, every nerve in her body was on fire. She held her breath, trying not to scream or cry out, to give Lilithmon any cause to prolong the torture. At last, it abated. It had lasted only a few seconds, but it seemed like hours to Witchmon. She pulled herself together as best she could. There was not a mark on her, but the ghost of the pain she had felt still resonated through her. That was one of Lilithmon's talents - to cause pain without harming the body of her victims, and draw her magic from that pain. An erring servant warranted only a small dose of it; someone she truly wanted to drain might suffer for days on end. 

"Let that be a warning to you," said Lilithmon coolly, "and encouragement to do better next time... which will be sometime in the distant future, I doubt not. You are relieved of your task. I will find someone more worthy to remove these nuisances." 

"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon, trying not to sigh in relief. For once in her life, she was glad to have failed! 

"You are a disappointing creature, Witchmon," the sorceress continued. "So far, the only thing you've proven yourself even remotely able to do is sneak and spy. That is hardly ladylike... yet it has its uses. Since I will need Wisemon's talents for other things, I am appointing you the task of following these young warriors and reporting their movements to me. After that, I will take what measures I see fit." 

"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon. 

Lilithmon swept off, leaving Witchmon sitting miserably on the floor, mulling over this new situation. Lilithmon wanted her to be a spy! That was hardly what Witchmon had been dreaming of when Wisemon had announced she was to become Lilithmon's apprentice! 

*_But if I don't do this right, she might decide I'm no good for anything at all!_* she thought. *_If she does that... she might get rid of me! I'll have no place to go! Or worse, what if she puts me in the dungeon with the others?_* She thought of the creatures that were sealed up down there. Some were so wicked that they reveled in the eternal darkness; others, like the FlaWizarmon, had been driven mad by the imprisonment. Witchmon didn't know which scared her more. 

*_No, Wisemon would never let her do that to me,_* Witchmon thought. *_He'll make sure I'm all right... he might let her get rid of me, though. I can't let that happen!_* 

She gritted her teeth, pulling herself to her feet. She would prove to everyone she could still make it as a great sorceress! 

First, though, she'd have to get the mud off her clothes. 

~*~

A cheery fire crackled at the center of a ring of humans and small Digimon. It was very different from the raging forest fire that had been blazing earlier, as kind as the other had been cruel. The former had been fire's destructive aspect, the side that went wild with violence and greed. This was its friendly side, the side that offered warmth and protection and light. Takuya tried not to think about it too much; the last thing he wanted was to accidentally turn into a Digimon again! 

The others were relaxing and chatting, enjoying themselves as they waited for their clothes to dry. Autumn was creeping over the Digital World, and while that meant there were more fruits and nuts for them to eat along the way, it also meant that the nights were getting chilly, and they were all glad to have this campfire to huddle around. Some people were roasting food over the fire. Someone else had started singing a camp song, and others joined in or simply listened in tolerant amusement. 

After a few minutes had gone by, Izumi became aware that someone was watching her, and she peered out of the corner of her eye to see Junpei staring intently at her. In fact, he seemed to be staring at a particular section of her. She frowned slightly. She realized that her shirt, rather thin to begin with, had recently been soaked, and that something naturally had to show through, which would of course have to attract his attention, but did he have to be so blatant about it? 

"Junpei, you pervert, quit staring at me!" she snapped. 

He blushed. "Sorry! I wasn't staring at you! I mean, I was, but, um... I don't know how to say this, but your, ah... your chest is glowing." 

"Huh?" She looked down, realizing belatedly that she was still wearing the Star of Guidance under her shirt. She had been distracted by the light of the fire, but now she realized that the gem seemed to be glowing softly of its own accord. She slipped it out, and it blazed with white fire. 

"What's that all about?" Takuya asked. "It wasn't glowing like that before!" 

"If it had been, I would have noticed," said Junpei. 

Izumi glared at him.

"Shutting up," he said. 

Izumi turned her attention back to the crystal. "I'm not sure," she said slowly, "but I'm getting the feeling there's another Fabled Artifact close by. We must have gotten closer to it while we were running from FlaWizarmon, close enough to alert the Star." 

"So the nearest Fabled Artifact must be over that way," said Kouji, gesturing. 

Everyone turned to stare out in the distance. Directly across from them were the lights of the fishing village, glowing like a cluster of earthbound stars. 

**

To Be Continued....

**


	4. Spare the Rod

_**Notes:** Well, I got the next chapter written! Wasn't easy, either. Someone didn't want me to finish it - kept sending me "HURRY UP!" umpteen times a day, so I'd have to spend an hour deleting them all when I could be writing. I don't know why they don't want me to finish this series, but if you know who they are, tell them to stop it so I can write in peace._

**Spare The Rod**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Witchmon was in a tree. Given her choice, she would have been somewhere else - say, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, for example - but this was where she'd lodged when she'd finally crashed her broom and fallen off. Now she was perched precariously in the boughs of a beech tree, while Cat sat on another limb a few feet above her, industriously grooming his disheveled fur. Her broom had landed a little further off, with its twigs caught in the needles of a large and gnarled conifer, and she wasn't entirely sure how she was going to get it down, but that was something to worry about later. At the moment, she had other concerns. 

Many feet below her, a group of six teenaged and near-teenaged children were striking camp. Despite the fact that they had been through a difficult night the day before, they seemed to have recovered well and were in a generally good mood. Witchmon couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but she had a good view from her treetop, and she could make a general guess as to what was going on. A brown haired boy and one of the twins - she didn't know them well enough to tell which was which - bantered with each other as they worked to bury the remains of their campfire and the rest of their refuse with sand. The youngest boy prowled around the camp, looking for anything that might have been missed. The other twin and the two little Digimon scampered in and out of the forest, collecting fresh fruits for breakfast. The remaining two, a husky boy and a golden-haired girl, were chatting with each other as they packed their things. Withcmon watched the exchange of his clumsy efforts at flirtation and her gentle deflections with a trace of envy; she doubted anyone would ever dance attendance on her that way. 

Down on the beach, the group finished with their cleaning, and the last of their personal possessions were packed away. Kouji surveyed the area with a critical eye and could find no fault with it. There was no trace left of their presence but their footprints in the pebbly ground, and those would in all likelihood disappear before the day was out. By tomorrow, nobody would ever know they had been there. 

*_That's as it should be,_* he thought. *_Not only is it good ecology, but it will make it that much harder for anyone to track us._* 

"Everything looks good," he said. "Nice job, guys." 

"Looks like we got everything," said Takuya, making a last scan of the area. "Time to move out!" 

"So, where are we going?" asked Junpei. "I mean, are we still heading for the Fallen Moon Temple, or are we looking for the thing Izumi's necklace found, or both?" 

"_I_ vote we follow the necklace," said Izumi. "We _know_ it's found something we're supposed to have, and we were only guessing about the temple." 

"There's a girl with good sense!" said Bokomon. 

"So, which way is it pointing?" asked Takuya. "That thing didn't exactly come with a compass and map." 

Izumi took out the Star. It was harder to see its glow in the light of day, but when she cupped it in her hands, she could still see it shining through her fingers. It looked very pretty, but it was true that its guidance was a little hard to follow. 

"Spin in a circle," Tomoki suggested. "Whichever way it glows brightest, that's the way we should go." 

"I was going to think of that," said Izumi. 

She held the necklace out and pivoted in place, eyes fixed on the pendant. When it pointed in the direction of the fishing village, it flashed brightly. 

"There?" Takuya said. "That's just a bunch of old fishing shacks. Who'd hide a Fabled Artifact in a place like that?" 

"I hope it isn't sunk at the bottom of the lake," said Junpei. 

"Well, we'll just have to go to the village and poke around a little," said Takuya. "They won't mind, will they?" 

"You'll have to ask them," Bokomon replied. "After all, I've never been there - I've only read about it." 

"I should have known," said Kouji. "Well, we won't know until we ask. Come on, gang, let's hit the road." 

"What road?" asked Neemon blankly. "I don't see a road. Why should we hit it? Did it do something wrong?" 

Takuya laughed and shook his head. 

"You know what?" he said. "That's what I love about this place. Sometimes it's weird, and sometimes it's crazy, and sometimes it's downright dangerous - but it's never boring!" 

The group laughed in agreement, and they started off on their journey. 

At least the day was pleasant. The sun hadn't risen far beyond the mountains in the east, and there was still a layer of mist on the lake, swirling in mysterious shapes. Kouichi sauntered along, admiring the view. The forest was lovely this time of day, full of mist and shadows... Suddenly, something caught his eye. He stared very hard for a moment, then glanced away. 

"Guys," he said softly, "don't look now, but I think we've picked up a mascot." 

"Huh?" said Takuya. "What do you mean by that?" 

"I mean we're being followed," he replied. 

"I don't see anybody," said Tomoki, glancing around. 

"Don't look! She'll know you've seen her," said Kouichi. "It's that witch again. She's sneaking along in the treetops." 

"Really?" Takuya stopped walking. He made a big show of stretching his arms and working the kinks out of his neck. As he did so, he sneaked a look up at the trees. He could just barely make out a hint of red; he never would have spotted it if someone hadn't told him it was there. 

"What do you know?" he said. "Looks like she's still following us. Nice spotting, Kouichi." 

"Thanks," he said. "I had a funny feeling we were being watched..." 

"Well, now that we know she's there, what do we do about her?" asked Junpei. 

"I suppose we could fight her off," Takuya mused, "but it would probably be more trouble than it's worth." 

"I think you're right," said Kouji. "We don't want a repeat of last night. As long as we know she's there, we can guard ourselves." 

"That's true," said Kouichi. He glanced back at the trees. "Besides, she doesn't seem like that bad a sort... as far as people who want to kill us go." 

"How far is that?" Neemon wanted to know. 

Kouichi shrugged. "It depends, I guess. But I suppose if someone has to be out to get us, it might as well be someone decent." 

"I'd say that's the worst case scenario," Junpei said. "If it was someone really rotten, we could just blow them up and not worry about it." 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," said Takuya. "I say, as long as she's not bothering us, we won't bother her." 

"I don't like having someone spying on us," Izumi muttered. 

"I used to do it," he said. Intercepting a glare, he added, "Not you personally, mind you." 

"No, that honor was reserved for me," said Kouji dryly. 

They moved on - six humans, two small Digimon, and one reddish shadow moving clumsily through the treetops. 

~*~

They reached the lakeside village by the time full daylight had fallen over the lake. They arrived to find most of the local Digimon were already wide awake and ready for a day's work. The streets were full of busy Geckomon, Otamamon, Gomamon, Betamon, and other small water-loving Digimon, preparing for a hard day's work. Many of them were scurrying around a collection of piers where small sailboats were moored. Others were rolling barrels in and out of a large warehouse; a few were carrying fishing rods, buckets, or collections of odd-looking implements. When they caught sight of their strange visitors, several of them paused to stare a moment, but it was clear that whatever they were doing was too important to stop just for curiosity's sake. The newcomers stood in the street and watched the tides of workers flow around them, until they were finally addressed by an important- looking Geckomon in a blue cap. 

"Welcome, travelers!" he said. "Welcome to our village! Sorry we can't stop and chat, but we're just getting ready to send out our fleet. We don't have much time to socialize." 

"That's all right," said Takuya. "We just came to have a look around." 

"Look around, huh? Hmm," said the Geckomon. He took off his cap and scratched his head. Finally he said, "Okay, I'll lay it on the line for you. I know you guys are legendary warriors and all, and we really are honored to have you here and all, but... our headman, _he_ doesn't much like people hanging around doing nothing, and I'd hate for you all to get on his bad side. He's pretty touchy, especially first thing in the morning. I tell you what - how 'bout you all pitch in with the work this morning? He won't object to you being here if you're helping out, and he'll be in a better mood after lunch. You can eat with us, and then you can look around all you want." 

"We'll think about it," said Takuya. 

They went into a huddle. 

"What do you think?" Takuya asked. "Do we want to hang around, or what?" 

"Depends on how badly we want to search the village, and how worried we are about annoying the headman," Kouichi replied. 

"I'm for it," said Kouji. "A little work won't hurt us." 

"How hard can it be to go fishing?" Junpei commented. "It's not like we haven't been doing it the whole time we've been here, anyway. And lunch wouldn't be a bad thing, either." 

"Let's do it," said Tomoki. "It might be fun!" 

"Well, I don't know about that," said Izumi, "but I suppose it's only fair. After all, if we're planning on taking something from them, we ought to pay them back somehow." 

"We'll do it," said Takuya to the Geckomon. 

"Great!" he said. "We're trying to get all the fish we can before the weather turns cold and the lake freezes. We need every hand on the ships that we can get!" 

"Well, point us the way," said Takuya. "We might as well get started." 

"Right this way," said the Geckomon, and began to lead them toward the docks. Then he stopped and held out a flippered hand in front of Izumi. "Not you." 

"Huh?" she said. "Why not me?" 

"Bad luck to have a woman on a sailing vessel," he said matter-of-factly. 

"That's a stupid superstition!" she objected. 

"Sorry! Still can't let you aboard," he said. "The headman would strip a thread if he saw you out there. You'd better stay on land. You can help the others dig for clams." 

"Clams?" she repeated blankly. 

"Freshwater clams. We dig them around the edge of the lake," he said. "Nobody will mind if you do that." 

"Great," she said unenthusiastically. 

"If she has to stay behind, I'm staying, too," said Junpei stubbornly. 

"Do you have to?" asked the Geckomon. "We're going to need big strong guys like you to haul the nets." 

"Um," he said. It was clear he'd still rather be on shore with Izumi, but he was also susceptible to flattery. 

"Don't worry, Junpei," said Kouji. "I'll take care of her for you." 

The Geckomon stared very hard at Kouji for a moment, but it was clear he wasn't much of a judge of human strength, because he apparently decided the slender boy would be no great loss. 

"All right," he said. "You can stay behind if you want. Just head over there where those guys are going." He waved in the direction of several other Digimon, most of whom were carrying buckets and long, tined tools, like long-handled garden forks. "The rest of you come with me." 

"See you later, guys!" said Takuya, waving back at them. "Have fun digging in the mud! I'm off to enjoy some lake breezes." 

"Later, Takuya," Kouji replied. "Have fun hauling lines. I'm off to catch some rays." 

They heard Takuya laughing as he headed off towards the docks. Kouji and Izumi fell in step with the clam-diggers. 

"So, when did you become so gallant?" Izumi asked him. "I know you didn't volunteer to help me just for Junpei's peace of mind." She giggled a little, remembering the expression on her friend's face when he'd heard Kouji's magnanimous offer. 

"I thought it was obvious," Kouji replied. "We aren't going to see a thing while we're stuck on a boat in the middle of the lake. I wanted to stay close to town so I can keep an eye on things. Not to mention the fact that you've still got the Star of Guidance with you, and you haven't got a way to evolve. If something decides to attack, you'd be the likely target. You shouldn't be left alone." 

"I figured it had to be something like that," she said. 

"You don't sound very impressed," he said. "It's probably more than what was going through Junpei's head." 

She laughed. "Junpei is an anachronism. He should have been born back when there were knights in armor and damsels in distress. He would have been right at home. I'm never sure if it's cute or ridiculous." She heaved a deep sigh. "I don't know that I like being treated like a damsel in distress, though. I _really_ hope there's a way to learn how to do... whatever Takuya did last night. I don't want to spend the rest of this adventure with someone always hovering behind me trying to protect me from everything." 

"You'll never get that from Junpei," said Kouji. 

"Hey, you two!" called a Gomamon who was trundling along ahead of them. "Better hurry up! You're going to get left behind!" 

The two of them dropped their conversation and quickened their pace. 

The clam-digging party led them to a stretch of beach. This place was not as rocky as the other areas they had traveled; it had the look of something that had been carefully groomed - presumably to present the best habitat for clams and the easiest place to dig for them. Everyone took a bucket, picked out a patch of shoreline, and began raking through the sand. The Geckomon used the rakes, while the Gomamon, Otamamon, and Betamon used their flippers and claws. A lone Anomalocarimon threw up great plumes of sand as he dug. Whenever they found a clam, it was tossed into a bucket. Kouji and Izumi watched the process for a while before claiming their tools and joining in. 

For a while, they simply dug in silence. Izumi gradually became convinced that Kouji's worries and suspicions were completely groundless; it appeared that everyone in the village had gone out to do some kind of work, and everything was perfectly still and quiet. The sun was rising higher into the sky, turning morning coolness into midday heat, and she worried about her fair skin getting sunburned. The clam digging was muddy work, hardly the kind of job she would have chosen for herself, and the bending over was giving her a backache. It was hard to convince herself that the rest of her friends were probably not having any more fun hauling nets full of slimy, flopping fish; she had a suspicion that it would be cooler on the open lake. All the while, Kouji worked in silence, occasionally straightening to look around, his dark eyes scanning for any danger. 

As it happened, no danger appeared, but something else did. A couple of hours into the job, there was a pounding as of something large and heavy coming up the road, and everyone looked up to see a large, orange, frog-like being come tromping up the road. He was carrying an enormous fishing rod, suitable to his stature, which he was waving around like a sword. The diggers, who had until that point been talking and joking, even singing, fell into cringing silence. 

"What's all this racket?" the newcomer bellowed. "How's anybody supposed to get any sleep around here, huh?" 

"Sorry, Tonosama Geckomon, sir," said one of the Betamon. "We'll work more quietly! Honest!" 

The Tonosama Geckomon narrowed his eyes, glaring at Kouji and Izumi. 

"What are they doing here? I didn't invite them here," he said. 

"We're working," said Izumi. "Have you got a problem with that?" 

"They aren't doing any harm," said one of the Geckomon. "They just volunteered to help us, that's all." 

"Well, they aren't going to get paid for it," said the Tonosama Geckomon. "I don't like strangers in my village. They'd better watch their step, that's all." 

"Yes, sir," said the Geckomon. He turned to Kouji and Izumi. "You hear that? You'd better watch your step!" 

"Sure," said Kouji. "We'll keep that in mind." 

"Well, I'm going fishing," said Tonosama Geckomon. "Not much else to do, now that you all woke me up." 

He stomped peevishly away, brandishing his fishing rod at anyone who didn't clear his path fast enough. The workers dodged him as best they could, while Izumi and Kouji watched with amazement. 

"Who was that guy?" asked Izumi. 

"That was our headman, Tonosama Geckomon," an Otamamon explained. "He's always cranky when he first wakes up." 

"I'll say," Izumi muttered. 

"Don't be too hard on him," said one of the Gomamon. "He's a good leader!" 

"Is he?" asked Kouji. "What does he do, besides yell at you when he wakes up?" 

"Well, mostly he goes fishing during the mornings," said a Geckomon. "And then he has lunch and a nap and goes fishing again, and then he goes back to bed." 

"That's it?" asked Kouji. "Doesn't sound like much of a leader, if you ask me. Even Takuya does more work than that." 

"He is a good leader!" said a Betamon. "We elected him! He's a great warrior - he defends us when we're in danger. He protects our cargo when we're traveling. He manages our money for us. We couldn't get by without him!" 

There were nods and a chorus of agreement; everyone seemed to agree with the Betamon. They looked to the humans like a collection of cartoon bobbleheads, nodding and nodding. 

"Well, if you say so," said Izumi with a shrug. "I guess that's worth a little morning grumpiness." 

"They might say so," Kouji muttered, "but if you ask me, something around here smells... and it's not just these clams." 

"Not that they don't stink," said Izumi, wrinkling her nose. She laughed suddenly. "Do you think Junpei will still be so enthused about me after I've spent an afternoon up to my elbows in clam juice?" 

Kouji almost smiled. "Maybe he'll just admire you from a safe distance - and upwind." 

She threw a clam at him. Kouji caught it neatly and dropped it in his bucket. Izumi rolled her eyes, but decided there wasn't much else she could do - not to Kouji the Unflappable. With a sigh, she went back to her clam-digging and hoped her friends were having a better time than she was. 

~*~

"Heave-ho! Let's go! Heave-ho! Let's go!" 

The monotonous chant was being boomed out over and over by a deep-voiced Geckomon with a bullhorn. As he called out, the workers on board the little fishing ships hauled in on their nets, easing a load of flopping fish onto the deck. Out on the lake, fleets of Gomamon and Otamamon swam swiftly through the waters, driving fish into the nets. These were hauled in by an assortment of Geckomon, Coelamon, Betamon... and four humans. 

"Almost got it!" called a supervising Betamon. "Just give it one more good haul!" 

Junpei shifted his grip on the line and hauled with all his strength. The fishermons had been enjoying having him around - and bossing him around. Simply by virtue of being larger and heavier than most of the Digimon there, he could do the work of five or six Geckomon, a fact that the Geckomon had been quick to pick up on. He'd spent most of the day pulling in fishing nets. Now he threw his weight against the line in a final burst of determination, and a wave of silver fish surged onto the deck, along with a certain amount of lake-weed and cold water, all of which lapped around his ankles. He heaved a sigh and sat down heavily on a roll of rope. 

"Whew!" he said. "I'm about done in." 

"Me too," said Takuya, leaning against the mast of the ship and mopping his brow. He made a face; his hands were smeared with algae and the essence of fish. He wiped them off on his pants, which were already damp from the spray. 

"You get used to it after a while," said one of the Betamon encouragingly. 

"I don't _want_ to get used to it," said Kouichi. "Thanks just the same." 

"I'll tell you one thing," said Junpei. "I'm not going to be eating another fish for a long, long time." 

"You guys can talk," said Tomoki. "All you've been doing is pulling nets." As the smallest of the humans, Tomoki had been put to work with the Digimon, packing fish into the holds, and he was wetter and fishier than any of the others. 

"Yeah," said Takuya with a grimace. He looked down at the palm of his hand, where the rasping of the ropes had raised a blister. 

Kouichi looked towards shore, where he could just barely make out the clam-diggers. "I hope Kouji and Izumi are having more fun than we are. At least they aren't as wet as we are." 

"The _fish_ aren't as wet as we are!" said Takuya. 

"That's what comes of volunteering," said Bokomon loftily. The local Digimon had decided that he and Neemon were two small to be of much use, and so the two of them were sitting high and dry in the rigging, enjoying watching everyone else work. 

Takuya began to make a reply, but his cutting remark was suitably cut off by the sound of a horn being blown on the mainland. It echoed across the lake, filling the air with a single, sustained bass note. As soon as they heard it, the fishermen went into a scramble. The swimmers clambered back into the boats. Those who were already on deck moved quickly to get the last of the fish put away and set about raising the sails. The little boats began drifting swiftly back to shore. 

"Finally!" said Takuya. "I was going to pass out if Ididn't get a break soon!" 

"Pass out from what?" asked Kouichi. "Exhaustion? Or just lack of oxygen?" 

"Both!" said Takuya emphatically. 

On the whole, everyone was very grateful to finally reach the shore and see the fishing vessel being moored at the pier. They were met on the beach by Kouji and Izumi, both looking rather muddy and slightly sunburned. 

"Looks like you two didn't do much better than we did," said Tomoki, as he jumped ashore. 

"We probably don't smell much better, either," Izumi muttered. "I've decided clam-digging is not for me." 

"And fishing isn't for me," said Takuya, jumping down to join them. "I'll never look at sushi the same way again." 

"Do you want to clean up?" asked one of the Geckomon. "There are bathing pools just beyond those buildings. Just dive in and rinse off." 

The group followed his pointing finger. At the fringes of the town, they could see two ponds, looking like crude swimming pools, with supplies of towels and soaps laid out around the edges, with a fence between them to give some semblance of privacy. 

"Cool. Kind of like a hot spring," said Kouichi. "I can deal with that." 

"I hate those things," Junpei muttered. "I always feel like people are staring at me." 

Kouji shrugged. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." 

"I've been in Rome," said Izumi, "and the Romans didn't make me take my baths outside." 

Still, all of them were feeling too grimy to refuse the offer of a bath, no matter where it was or how they were expected to take it. Fortunately, the spring water was pleasantly warm, and with the addition of some soap that was pleasantly scented with herbs and flowers, they all felt better for having had a chance to wash. Once they were all clean and properly dressed, they regrouped and followed the rest of the villagers to a large building in the center of town, where enticing scents were being issued through its wide open doors. 

"Come on in and grab a seat!" said one of the Geckomon - the capped one who had first greeted them when they'd entered the town. "We had a record haul, thanks to you all! You've more than earned your stay here, so eat all you want!" 

"Thanks," said Takuya gratefully. "Come on, guys. Let's chow down." 

After all that work, all of them were starving. They walked through a line and accepted platters of vegetables, piping hot rolls, bowls of some sort of stew, and something else that couldn't be completely identified through a covering of spiced sauce. 

"This is pretty good," said Junpei. "Will I regret it if I ask what it is?" 

The friendly Geckmon shrugged. "That should be obvious. It's fish." 

Junpei prodded the stuff with a chopstick. "Is it really? Wow. I thought it was like roast beef or something." 

The Geckomon laughed. "It's the fisherman's creed: if a fish is all you've got, make it taste like what it's not! Otherwise, we'd all be completely sick of it by now." 

"I guess that makes sense," said Kouichi. He grinned suddenly. "So, what was it you were saying about not eating fish for a long, long time?" 

"How long has it been?" asked Junpei. 

Tomoki looked at his watch. "About an hour." 

Junpei shrugged. "Long enough!" 

A few people laughed. Takuya said, "So, Kouji, were you having fun while we were out getting some work done?" 

"Not really," he said. "I was hoping to pick up some hints as to where the Artifact is hidden, but we didn't see or hear much of anything, except for that Tonosama Geckomon." 

"Kouji didn't like him," said Izumi, helping herself to another roll. 

"What, that big guy over there?" asked Tomoki. He pointed off into a corner, where the headman was sitting at a table to himself, being served platters of fresh fish, presumably the ones he'd caught himself. 

"That's the one," Kouji agreed. 

"So that's the headman we're not supposed to tick off," Takuya mused. "I guess he doesn't look like the kind of Digimon it would be good to pick a fight with." 

"It is generally best not to annoy the established authorities," Bokomon said. "Still, I have to say I've seen more inspiring leaders in my time..." 

"You're just biased because you work for the angels," said Izumi. "Nobody in the world could measure up to them." 

"Well, I'm not biased, and I still get bad vibes about him," said Kouji. "If there's one thing I hate to see, it's a bad leader." 

"I'm doomed," said Takuya melodramatically. 

"I wasn't talking about you," Kouji replied. "You're a pretty decent leader, when you need to be." 

"I am?" asked Takuya, surprised. 

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're not a genius or anything..." 

"Gee, thanks!" 

"...but at least you care about what happens to us," Kouji continued. "What I hate is someone who puts themselves in charge just for their own benefit." 

"Well, the Geckomon and things seem to think the world of him," said Izumi. "He doesn't have to be likeable to do a good job, you know." 

"That's right," said Junpei. "If everybody's happy, why rock the boat?" 

"I've heard too much about boats today," Takuya muttered. "Let's talk about something else, like Fabled Artifacts. If there's one in this town, where do you think it would be? And which one is it?" 

"Well, this is a watery sort of place," said Kouichi. "Maybe it's the Pool of Knowledge." 

"I've always heard that Geckomon love music," Bokomon mused. "Perhaps it could be the Pipes of Peace." 

"It would be nice if we knew what these things looked like," said Tomoki. "They could be right under our nose and we'd never know!" 

"Right," said Takuya. "_Anything_ could be under our noses right now, and we'd never know through all the fish!" 

"That's the truth," Kouichi agreed. "Well, I guess we'll just have to have a good look around." 

Kouji nodded his agreement. "I think Takuya's right. I have the strangest feeling that what we want is right under our noses..." 

~*~

Tonosama Geckomon was one of the last people to leave the dining hall that afternoon. Everyone else left as early as they could - the town workers to get back to their jobs; the humans to start looking for the hidden Artifact. The only ones who stayed were a few small Digimon who cleared the tables and washed the dishes, Tonosama Geckomon himself, and a stranger who watched it all from a rooftop. 

Once again, Witchmon was trying desperately to make up her mind, not something she was particularly good at. She was hardly used to this spying-on-people business, and she was not sure if she ought to be making a report right now or not. Lilithmon was strict when it came to trivialities: she didn't want to hear anything that was worthless to her, which would distract her from more important matters. On the other hand, she would be angry if Witchmon didn't do her job, which obviously involved telling Lilithmon something eventually. But what could she say? That the humans were looking for an Artifact in the fishing village? Then what? Was that scrap of knowledge really important enough to warrant bothering Lilithmon? 

"Okay, okay, let's think about this," said Witchmon. "If I tell Lilithmon that the children are here, she'll want it fixed so they don't find the Artifact. That means she'll probably send someone to stop them from finding it. So the best thing to do would be to tell Lilithmon or Wisemon so they can send somebody, because I know I'm not strong enough to fight them, unless..." 

She stopped talking to herself suddenly as she was struck by an idea. It was so seldom that Witchmon had ideas of her own that it completely surprised her, and she had to stop a moment and consider it. The whole idea behind this escapade, as far as she understood, was to keep the children from finding the Artifacts. Why, she didn't precisely understand - she didn't know what harm it would do Lilithmon if they were found - but that wasn't the point right now. The point was that as long as the Artifacts weren't found, her objective was accomplished. Presumably, the Artifact was in this town somewhere, so if she could just get the children out of town, there wouldn't be a problem. She could do that herself, and she wouldn't even need any help. Well, not much... 

"Come on, Cat," she told her pet, who was just now prancing with excitement. "We've got work to do!" 

Taking a deep breath, she mounted her broom and glided as carefully as she could through the streets. Thankfully, the town was nearly empty now, as everyone had gone off on their assigned missions, leaving the streets free of things for her to crash into. In fact, the only thing there was for her to see was the broad backside of Tonosama Geckomon, who was just now shuffling off to his house for his afternoon nap. Witchmon flew far enough behind that he hopefully wouldn't see her if he happened to look around. He, of course, was much too large to lose no matter where he went. At last, he went into his house and shut the door behind him. Witchmon landed in an alley nearby and tiptoed over to peer into his window. She had to climb up on an abandoned barrel to see inside; the house was built proportionately to its owner's substantial size, and even with the barrel to help her, she still had to stand on her tiptoes to see inside. Through the window, she could see a bed just slightly smaller than a tennis court. As she watched, Tonosama Geckomon came in, flopped into bed, and pulled the blankets up over his head. 

"That's right, go to sleep," Witchmon whispered. She added a few arcane words and gestures, one of the few spells she could manage to make work right most of the time. Within seconds, Tonosama Geckomon was snoring soundly. Witchmon pushed the window open and crawled clumsily through the opening. She landed facefirst on the floor with a bump that echoed hollowly through the wooden floor, but the sleeping headman didn't even twitch. She got up, dusted herself off, and went to stand next to him. A particularly loud snore blew her hat off and sent it sailing across the room, and she backed away a few paces. 

"Can you hear me?" she asked him. 

The snoring quieted. In a sleepy voice, he answered, "Hear... you." 

"Good," she said. "Are you going to listen to what I say?" 

"Listen... to... what you... say." 

"All right. Pay close attention. You are not going to allow any visitors in your town, all right?" 

"No... visitors." 

"Nobody is allowed to look around in this town," she told him. 

"Nobody... look... around," he agreed. 

"Right!" she said, pleased by her success. "No strangers are allowed here, especially humans!" 

"No... humans." 

"You've got it. Now, when I snap my fingers, you're going to wake up, and you're going to go make sure there aren't any strangers in town, okay?" 

"Oh... kay." 

Witchmon made an attempt to snap her fingers. It didn't work very well. She stared at her gloved hands in consternation before saying, "I changed my mind. When I clap my hands, _then_ you'll wake up!" 

Tonosama Geckomon nodded agreeably. Taking heart from that, Witchmon clapped her hands, and watched as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times. Then he slowly sat up, yawned, stretched - and then his eyes fell on Witchmon. 

"Stranger," he muttered. "Human-type..." 

Witchmon paled. "Oh, no." 

"Hey, you!" Tonosama Geckomon bellowed. "Strangers aren't allowed in this town! What are you doing poking around in my house, huh? I don't like people putting their noses where they don't belong!" 

"Umm... I was just leaving!" she said. 

"You better believe it! _Samurai Tone!_" 

Witchmon made a wild scramble to reach the window, when she was hit by a blast of sound that seemed to rattle her bones. She squealed and fell out the window, landing with a crash on the barrel she'd been standing on earlier, smashing it to bits. Cat leaped out the window after her and landed on her head. It would have been less uncomfortable if he'd had his claws sheathed, but fortunately her hat took most of the damage, and she thanked the Programmer she had been designed with built-in headgear. 

"When will I learn to be more specific?" she muttered. 

Inside the house, she could hear a great deal of bumping around. It sounded as if the Tonosama Geckomon was in a very bad mood, but thankfully, he seemed to have forgotten about Witchmon already. 

"If there's one thing I hate," he was muttering, "it's being woken from my nap! Somebody is going to pay for this!" 

There were several dull thuds from his footsteps, and then the boom of a slamming door, and Witchmon watched as the annoyed leader stomped out, ranting and raving. She waited until he was gone, and then sat up carefully, straightened her hat, and started picking splinters out of her gown. 

"Well, that could have gone better," she said to Cat, "but it did what I wanted... I think. I'm not sure. Oh, well, I guess we'll just have to watch and see." 

Very carefully, she mounted her broom and rose up into the sky, looking for a place to sit and watch the action unfold. 

Meanwhile, the Chosen Children were busy poking around in a warehouse. It was full of scraps of lumber, the skeletons of partially built boats, coils of rope, spare tools, rolls of canvas, empty barrels, and other odds and ends. It did not, however, appear to contain any Fabled Artifacts. 

"Well, this is a real dead end," said Takuya, playing idly with a pulley that was hanging from the wall. "There's nothing in here but junk." 

"It's not junk," said Tomoki. "It's just not what we wanted." 

"I didn't really expect to find anything here," said Kouichi. "I still think the Artifacts aren't going to be just lying around in a shed somewhere. They're going to be in important places. I think we should be trying to get a look at that Tonosama Geckomon's place." 

"I wouldn't be surprised if you were right," said Kouji. "That might even explain why he's in charge around here, if he had a Fabled Artifact to help him get things done..." 

"Yeah, but I don't think he's going to just let us walk into his house and start going through his things," said Izumi. "I know I wouldn't, if I were him." 

"Why would anybody want to go through your stuff?" Takuya began to ask, but he never finished the question, as everyone's attention was drawn by a commotion going on outside. They all ran to the door of the warehouse in time to find what looked like a small riot going on in the street. Tonosama Geckomon was stomping around, shouting at various other small Digimon, who cringed and cowered before him. 

"...no excuses!" the headman was shouting. "I want them found, and I want them thrown out right now!" 

"But they aren't hurting anything," an Otamamon protested. 

"I don't care! They're outsiders, and they don't belong here! And don't talk back to me! I am in a lousy mood, and I don't want to hear any backtalk from anybody!" 

"I don't understand!" someone protested. It was the Geckomon the children had made friends with. "They were helping us! They did us so much good - I thought you were glad they were here!" 

"Well, I changed my mind," Tonosama Geckomon snapped. "I want it done, and I don't want any arguing! Run 'em out of town! Better yet, haul 'em in and bring 'em to me, and I'll run 'em out of town! Now bring me my rod - I want to go fishing." 

"Coming right up, your greatness!" said a Gizamon on the edge of the crowd, and he hopped off as fast as he could travel. 

"Sounds like we've worn out our welcome," said Junpei grimly. "So much for him being in a better mood after lunch!" 

"I think we've worn out our welcome," said Bokomon. "Might I suggest we make a strategic retreat?" 

"Forget strategy!" said Neemon. "I wanna get out of here!" 

"But we still haven't found the Artifact," said Takuya stubbornly. 

"I wonder what's gotten him so angry?" Kouichi asked, peering through the door at Tonosama Geckomon. "We never did anything to him." 

The same thought seemed to have crossed someone else's mind. The friendly Geckomon was trotting in his leader's footsteps, trying to talk some sense into him. 

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" he was asking. "These are the Chosen Children we're talking about - the Legendary Warriors! We can't just throw them out of town for any little thing! What will the Angels say?" 

"The Angels aren't here," said Tonosama Geckomon, "and I am. I'm in charge here, and what I say goes! _I'm_ the leader! Or do you think you should be in charge? Huh? Speak up!" 

"No, Tonosama Geckomon," said the Geckomon, "but-" 

"But nothing! Don't you argue with me!" 

Tonosama Geckomon dealt his follower a kick that sent him sailing several yards to land in the hard-packed sand. He twitched feebly, but the wind seemed to have been knocked out of him, and he didn't have the strength to rise. 

"He can't do that!" Tomoki gasped, outraged. 

"I knew I was right about him!" Kouji growled. There was suddenly something very wolflike in his eyes and voice. "I knew he was no leader..." 

"No, but I am," said Takuya, "and I'm not letting this slide. What do you say, guys? Want to teach this fat frog a lesson?" 

"What can we do, though?" asked Kouichi. "No Spirits, remember?" 

"I don't care," said Kouji. "We can still speak out against this - and I will!" 

He ran out of the building. The others simply stared a moment, nonplussed. 

"Better be ready to run," said Takuya. 

"Do you think that Tonosama Geckomon is going to run us out of town?" asked Junpei. 

"No, but if Kouji randomly evolves into something, we'd better be ready to catch him!" Takuya replied. "Come on!" 

They hurried out into the street. Kouji was already there, standing between the fallen Geckomon and his leader, who was glaring down at him from his considerable height. 

"What do you think you're doing, huh?" he boomed. 

"I could ask you the same question," Kouji answered. "You might think you're big and bad, but all you know how to do is push people around and enjoy yourself. I'll bet you've never thought about anybody but yourself your whole life!" 

"I can do whatever I want," said Tonosama Geckomon. "I'm the leader, and I'll do what I want!" 

"You're no leader," said Tomoki, helping the injured Geckomon to his feet. "You're a bully. You're _worse_ than a bully. You're not just picking on people weaker than you, you're claiming you're helping them!" 

"You've got no right to talk to me like that!" Tonosama Geckomon snapped. 

"We have every right to say it," said Kouichi, "because it's true, isn't it?" 

"That's enough out of you! I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" Tonosama Geckomon boomed. "_Samurai Tone!_" 

There was a blast of sound that threw the Chosen, the Geckomon, and several innocent bystanders off their feet. They thudded into walls or smacked onto the ground, gasping and curling up in pain as the pain hit. Kouji, luckier than the others, landed in a heap of netting that had been piled in a dark alley, and remained reasonably unhurt. He closed his eyes, waiting for his head to stop spinning. 

*_If only I could evolve,_* he thought. Even with his eyes closed, he could see his friends lying bruised and battered in the street. He wasn't even sure they were all conscious. If Tonosama Geckomon came to finish them off, they would be sitting ducks. They could all die just a few feet away from him - his friends, the first real friends he'd ever had. It was because he knew them that he'd learned to care about other people in the first place, and look where it had led them: taking a stupid risk to face down a Perfect Digimon when the best they could have managed was a handful of Child-stages. If only he could fight back somehow... He willed the sunlight above to penetrate the dark alley and fill him, as the flames had filled Takuya, but nothing happened.... or almost nothing. He thought he felt something, the smallest twitch in the fiber of his being, but it was like trying to reach across a chasm a mile wide. 

*_Well, then, I'll just have to fight back the old-fashioned way!_* he thought. 

Gathering his strength, Kouji disentangled himself from the heap of netting and staggered to his feet, taking stock of his condition. He was a bit bruised, and one of his knees ached where he had landed badly, but that was all. He could still manage something. Maybe he could still get everyone to safety. Ignoring his aches and pains, he ran out into the street. 

Elsewhere, his companions were picking themselves up and dusting themselves off, or rubbing at bruised knees and elbows or wincing at fresh headaches. The Geckomon was not moving, apparently either unconscious or hurt too badly to even try to get up. When Tonosama Geckomon saw Kouji, he glared at him. 

"Are you still at it?" the froglike creature asked. "If I were you, I'd get while the getting's good!" 

"Not yet," said Kouji. "I can't let you hurt my friends and get away with it!" 

Tonosama Geckomon narrowed his eyes as best he could, protuberant as they were. "And what are you going to do about it, huh?" 

Kouji said nothing. He knew he would sound stupid if he said something like, "Um, er..." but it was all that would come to mind, because he knew there was really nothing he could do to something that was more than ten times his weight and mass. He settled for giving Tonosama Geckomon a cold look. 

Just then, there was a small commotion, in the form of two Otamamon scurrying up the road. They were carrying something. 

"Tonosama Geckomon!" they called. "We found your fishing rod, you left it in the cafeteria, and..." 

"Gimme that!" Tonosama Geckomon snapped. 

They reached out to offer him the rod... but they didn't quite make it. Kouji seized his chance and made a dive for the rod, snatching it out of their flippers. Tonosama Geckomon made a move to stop him, but he was bulky and awkward, and couldn't move nearly as fast as agile Kouji. Kouji took the rod and twirled it expertly, whipping it against the side of a building and shattering the reel, leaving only the solid wooden shaft. He almost smiled. He'd been trained in martial arts for years, and he was handy with several of the classic weapons - nunchucks and even swords - but he had always been best with the staff. With one in his hand, he thought he could easily hold off this clumsy creature long enough for his friends to get away. He spun the staff around in a movement too fast to follow, hearing it whistle through the air, his confidence growing. 

*_With this, I'm safe,_* he thought. *_I can stand up to this clown... I feel like I could stand up to anything, with this in my hands..._* 

Disorientation took him. Suddenly, he was no longer standing in a dusty street on the side of a lake. Instead, he rode on the back of a striped wolf, with his body encased in armor, and the staff in his hand was a lance. At his back was a mighty army, ready to obey his orders... The scene shifted again, showing him standing on the deck of a sailing ship, with a fleet of others arrayed nearby... And then he saw himself enthroned on a golden chair in an alabaster palace, presiding over a court, settling disputes... He shook his head, dispelling the visions, until he was back in a fishing village again. All that was left was a trace of suggestion in his mind: _You could have any of this, if you wanted it..._

*_I don't,_* he thought back stubbornly. *_I never wanted to rule anyone. I just want to help my friends!_* 

There was a feeling of protest. He had tapped into a power; it wanted to be used. Trying to hold it back was like trying to plug up a dam once it had been breached. All that power was straining to go somewhere, and the readiest channel was through him. He gritted his teeth, struggling against the force that sought to control him. Somehow, he knew it would do things through him that would make what it had done with the Tonosama Geckomon look like a case of schoolyard bullying... 

*_Wait! I know what this is!_* Kouji suddenly realized. *_This is the Staff of Order... the _corrupted_ Staff of Order! Well, I won't let it corrupt me!_* 

"No!" he shouted. "Listen, _you_ will obey _my_ will, got it?" 

He thrust the staff away from him, as if to hold off an enemy. Those watching saw a ripple of something run through the air, making it warp as if from heat. All around him, the Digimon, large and small, who had been watching him suddenly fell facedown in the street, prostrating themselves before him. Kouji planted the staff on the ground and leaned on it, panting for breath, his face damp with sweat. At last he raised his head and looked out at the assembled company. 

"Don't do that," he said hoarsely. "Don't ever bow to me. Get up!" 

They hastened to obey. They all stood in a half-circle around him, staring at him wonderingly. Kouji sighed deeply. 

"All right," he said. "Listen to me, all of you. This is the Staff of Order, one of the Fabled Artifacts. It has the power to make people obey whoever holds it. Tonosama Geckomon has been using it to control you all. He is not your leader, and he never has been. You don't have to obey him anymore, all right?" 

"But who can we obey?" asked one of the Otamamon. "We need a leader!" 

"So elect one," said Kouji. "Pick someone you think would do a good job and let him lead you. If he doesn't do a good job, kick him out and try someone else. Figure it out among yourselves." 

"Would _you_ lead us?" asked a Betamon. 

"Absolutely not," said Kouji, and he felt the Staff vibrate under his fingers in protest. He sighed again. "I like being on my own too much to be a good leader. I'm not good at dealing with lots of people... and I don't know the first thing about running a fishing village. You'll do better with someone else. I have only one request from you, and that's to make this guy here-" He pointed at Tonosama Geckomon. "-pull his own weight for a change. I'm not ordering, I'm just asking. Will you do it?" 

There was a chorus of agreement. A few Digimon looked at Tonosama Geckomon with new light in their eyes, as if suddenly remembering just what kind of a leader he had made. 

"Good," said Kouji. "Now, if you don't mind... I want to sit down." 

He walked off to join the rest of his friends, who had been watching the spectacle with interest. Tomoki was tending to the injured Geckomon, who was now awake and sitting up. 

"Are you okay?" asked Kouichi, eyeing his brother worriedly. Kouji was looking very pale, and his hands were trembling slightly. Even more, Kouichi always knew what his brother was feeling, and right now he didn't _feel_ right. 

"I've been better," Kouji replied. He sat down tiredly on someone's front step. 

"Is that really a Fabled Artifact?" asked Neemon, hopping closer to get a better look. "I thought it was a fishing pole." 

"Fishing poles don't do what this one did," said Kouji. "Bokomon is right - this thing _is_ corrupted. And it's not taking kindly to finding someone who isn't willing to be corrupted along with it. Don't touch it," he said, and Neemon drew back his paw. "I don't think anyone but me ought to touch it, now that we've got it. It's still got a bad attitude." 

"How can it have an attitude?" Junpei wanted to know. "I thought Bokomon said the only Artifact that had a mind of its own was the Star of Guidance." 

"A computer doesn't have a mind of its own," said Tomoki. "That doesn't mean it can't do things by itself." 

"That almost made sense," said Takuya. "I guess what he means is that this thing was set to do stuff, and it's going to keep on acting that way until someone fixes it... Do you think we can fix it?" 

"I don't know," Kouji replied. He glared at the Staff. "I think I can control it, anyway... as long as I don't try to _use_ it for anything... but it's very powerful, and so are we. If we aren't careful, it could make any one of us do terrible things. I think if we get hold of any more corrupted artifacts, we all need to promise never to use them. They're way too strong for a human being to handle... but I'm not going to force you," he added, with a ghost of a smile. 

Takuya thought about it. Then he nodded. "You're right. Nobody uses any of the corrupted Artifacts, and nobody touches anything that someone else has claimed. Agreed?" 

"Agreed!" said everyone else. 

Kouji was quiet. He could still feel the Staff thrumming softly under his fingers, as if an electric current ran through it. He squeezed it hard, and the feeling abated until it felt like nothing but wood. It was learning, he thought. Perhaps it was like a badly-trained dog, that only needed a firm hand on the leash to teach it to behave and even be useful. With time and patience, he might be able to render it harmless. Even so, he would be very glad when he could hand it over to the Great Angels and let them deal with it. 

*_So we've got a new form of evolution that makes people lose their memories when they use it, and we've got a weapon that wants to use us instead of the other way around,_* he thought wryly. *_Somehow, I felt safer when we were defenseless._* 

~*~

Witchmon had hidden herself away in the forest. The trees here were thicker, darker, and wilder as they left the areas inhabited by friendly Digimon and drew nearer to the more mountainous regions. They were a good place for a flying Digimon, especially one who was hoping not to be seen by anyone. As soon as she had realized that her plan had backfired in the most spectacular way imaginable, Witchmon had fled the village and tucked herself into the deepest shadows she could find, beneath a clump of bramble bushes. Feeling sick at the thought of admitting her mistake, she nevertheless took a pouch out of her pocket and opened it. It contained one of her brother's many crystal balls, used for seeing things far away... including, on this occasion, his erring sister. 

"Witchmon," he said, as his image appeared in the globe. "What have you to report?" 

She hung her head. "I made a goof again." 

"I'm not surprised," said Wisemon. "I am, however, curious. How do you manage to make a mistake at spying on someone? I assume you weren't seen, if you're still free and in one piece." 

"I tried to do something on my own," she replied. 

"Ah," he said. "That explains it. Witchmon, you know better than to try to think for yourself." 

"I know," she said. "I was just trying to do something good for a change, and it all blew up in my face." 

"Well, tell me what you did wrong this time, and I'll see if I can make it better for you," he said. "We don't want you getting into trouble with Lilithmon, do we?" 

"No?" she hazarded. 

"That was rhetorical. Explain your mistake, Witchmon." 

"Well, it would have been okay if the Fabled Artifact hadn't turned up where I didn't expect it," she said defensively. "How was I supposed to know it was just going to be a stupid fishing rod?" 

"If I didn't know what you were talking about, that wouldn't have made any sense at all," said Wisemon. "For your information, all of the Fabled Artifacts were made to resemble commonplace items. It made them harder for thieves to find, and was supposed to remind their holders of their humility. Needless to say, it did not always work, but the fact remains that the Artifacts are distinguishable from their mundane counterparts by their powers alone, and not by their outward appearances." 

"Why didn't someone tell me that before I tried something stupid?" Witchmon asked. 

"Because," said Wisemon, "you were not to interfere, only watch. If you had done as you were told, it would not have mattered." 

"Oh," she said, deflating. "Well, anyway... I put a hypnosis on the Tonosama Geckomon to make him attack the children." 

"Let me guess - it didn't work?" 

"Oh, no, it worked fine," she said. She decided to overlook the fact that she'd hypnotized Tonosama Geckomon into attacking her, as well. 

"Hmm," said Wisemon. For some reason, he sounded bothered by this. Witchmon didn't blame him; she was usually surprised when her spells worked, too. "Go on. What _did_ happen, then?" 

"Well, I sent him to attack the children and drive them out of town," she said. "I thought if they weren't in town, they couldn't find the Artifact. But they found the Staff of Order anyway, and they used it to make Tonosama Geckomon back down." 

"I see. So they have found a second Artifact, and you didn't even tell us about it in time to prevent it," said Wisemon. "You really have been stupid. For one thing, you made one very vital miscalculation." 

"What was that?" Witchmon asked. 

"Lilithmon does not want us to prevent the children from _finding_ the Artifacts," he said. "She wants us to prevent them from _looking_ for them. There's a difference." 

"Is there?" asked Witchmon blankly. "What is it?" 

"The difference is that if the children are searching the Digital World for strongholds where the Artifacts might be found, sooner or later they will wind up in Lilithmon's domain," said Wisemon. "For eons Lilithmon has been doing everything in her power not to be found. She is not going to tolerate them intruding in her space carrying a load of powerful Artifacts." 

"Couldn't we just put up a fence or something?" asked Witchmon hopefully. 

"No. Listen to me, Witchmon. This is very important. We have to stop these children from looking for the Artifacts. That is the bottom line. Do you understand that?" 

"Yes," she said. "I think." 

"Close enough. Now, I'm going to let you have one more chance, Witchmon. If you can't convince me that you can do this job correctly, I'm going to have no choice but to report your unsatisfactory work to Lilithmon. None of us will like that. So you will do better in the future, won't you?" 

"I'll do my best," said Witchmon. 

"You do that. I will try to send along something that will help you." 

"Will it be like the last something?" she asked nervously. "I didn't like him." 

"What you like is of no importance," said Wisemon. "It is what Lilithmon wants that matters." From the sound of things, he didn't sound any happier about that than she felt. Witchmon was rather touched that he was so sympathetic towards her feelings. 

"Well, if you think it will help me, I'll try to deal with it," said Witchmon. "I wish you were here, Wisemon. You're so much better at this than me. I'll bet you wouldn't make all these stupid mistakes." 

"Well, Lilithmon needs me right now," he said, "but I'll come join you when I can." 

"Thanks, Wisemon. You're the best. I can always count on you," she said. 

"I hope someday I can say the same for you," he said. "Until then, just keep trying. Good night, Witchmon." 

"Good night, Wisemon," she said. 

The image faded. With a sigh, Witchmon looked back the way she had come, towards the village. The lights were on down there; from the sound of it, they were having a party to celebrate the election of their new leader. She had seen him - the cheerful Geckomon in the funny cap. He had invited his human friends to stay for dinner, and they were all there, socializing and having a good time - with the exception of Tonosama Geckomon, who was busy waiting tables and cleaning up messes. It all sounded so bright and cheerful. Witchmon sighed. It was too bad people like her had to spend so much time in the dark and alone. It would have been so nice to go down there and join them... 

*_They don't like you,_* she told herself sternly. *_You're their enemy. If you went down there, they wouldn't stop at just running you out of town. The only people who care about you are Wisemon and Lilithmon... and Cat._* 

"It's cold out here, isn't it, Cat?" she asked her familiar. "Let's find somewhere warm to sleep, huh?" 

Cat nuzzled her cheek. With a sigh, Witchmon curled up under the bushes and settled down to sleep, listening to the faraway party noises. 


	5. Stormy Passage

**_Author's Note:_** As of yet, I've been unable to turn up a canon evolution for the character in question. (Silly, do you think I'm going to tell you who evolves in this chapter? Figure it out for yourself!) Suffice to say I searched, I did not find, so I made my own. This is my original critter; please don't take it from me without my permission. If there is a canon evolution for said character and I don't know about it, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me. (A picture of the card would be nice.) That is all. 

**

Stormy Passage

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

For the moment, everything seemed to be going more or less exactly the way Junpei would have chosen for them to have gone. He was, at present, stretched out in the soft grass that grew alongside a small stream, which trickled and splashed musically over a succession of rounded mountain stones. There was a brilliant afternoon sun overhead, bathing the area in golden warmth, and there was a row of willow trees along the stream if shade was what was wanted. Neither he nor his friends seemed to be in any immediate danger, and there were no disputes or arguments going on. The group had opted to stop here for lunch, and even now the midday meal was being assembled, so in a few minutes he would be well-fed again. In short, there was nothing going on that would account for his vague sense of unease. 

To distract himself, he cast his eyes in the direction of the stream, where Izumi was wading and splashing as she gathered armfuls of plants. The stream had proven to be filled with a number of thick- leafed, spicy-tasting greens which Bokomon had asserted were nutritious, if not very filling, and the group was taking advantage of their presence to enliven their dull traveling food. The foodstuffs that the castle had provided them with was filling and sustaining, but not particularly tasty, and the greens would greatly improve their flavor. Already their stock of edibles was starting to run a bit low, and the group was thankful for anything they could find along the way. Thankfully, it was approaching autumn in this part of the Digital World, and several types of nuts and fruits would be ripe by the time they got to them. They might not get a home-cooked meal every night, but they were unlikely to starve, either. 

In the meantime, Izumi gathered greens for their lunch, and since there was nothing else of interest to do, Junpei passed the idle time by watching her out of the corner of his eye. Even after a few years of solid friendship, she still dazzled his senses like sunlight on water, and he never got tired of spending time with her. She could be as changeable as the weather - proud and independent, capricious and playful, aloof as a cat and sometimes just as mysterious... and sometimes warm and gentle and even vulnerable. The one thing that was consistent was that she was never boring, and he doubted he'd ever get over her any more than he'd get over needing air to breathe. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was entertaining themselves in other ways. Takuya and Tomoki were in the process of getting some kind of lunch together. The village they'd passed through the day before had gifted them with a package of dried and smoked fish to round out their supplies, but the meat was hard as a rock and completely inedible if it wasn't soaked or boiled a while first. Boiling was impossible without a cooking pot, but the stream was clean enough, and they were in no mood to be finicky. 

Nearby, on a swath of relatively smooth grass, Kouji and Kouichi were practicing staff-fighting. It was something they often did at home as a game, but in this world, it had a more serious feel. Everyone knew that they'd have to defend themselves somehow, if they met with an enemy, and they weren't ready to put their full trust in Takuya's chancy new way of evolving. Instead, the twins practiced weapons combat. Both of them held wooden staffs - _not_ the Staff of Order; it stood propped against a tree like a disapproving spectator, if a carved length of wood could look disapproving. Kouji had been carrying it everywhere ever since he got it, even sleeping next to it at night, and he could sometimes be heard muttering to it as he walked, but he seemed reluctant to try using it as a weapon again. Instead, he had found a stand of bamboo-like plants and broken two stalks to comfortable lengths. Now the two boys struck and dodged, and laughed each time one of them landed a particularly well-placed blow. 

Gradually, the noise of the mock-battle caught Junpei's attention, and he spared a glance in their direction. He had to admit, they _were_ worth watching. Both of them moved with a grace that was almost weightless, more as if they were dancing than fighting. Each move they made was clean and fluid and perfectly placed. There was nothing slipshod or clumsy about anything they did. 

Junpei stifled a sigh. As much as he cared for the two of them, he might have been their brother himself, but he couldn't deny that he envied them just a tiny bit. Going to the Digital World had done wonders for his self-esteem, it was true, but when it all came down, it would just be _nice_ to be handsome and graceful and athletic. He wasn't exactly ugly, he thought, but he knew he was hardly the kind to turn people's heads. Kouji and Kouichi were. He didn't go to their school, but he overheard their talk, and he'd heard enough to know there were plenty of girls who pursued them, and there would probably be more when they reached their full teenaged growth. People liked Junpei and were willing to spend time with him, but they'd never admire him in quite that same way... 

On the other hand, he reminded himself, there was only one girl's opinion who really counted to him. Come to think of it, _she_ wasn't among those who sighed after the twins. She treated them exactly the same way she treated Takuya or Tomoki or any of her other male friends. He couldn't think of anyone, really, that she _did_ seem interesting. That was moderately encouraging - at least he wasn't out of the running quite yet. 

"It's going to rain again," he said abruptly, finally finding words to express what had been bothering him all this time. 

"What, again?" asked Takuya. 

Izumi walked up and offered the bundle of plants she'd been gathering, and then stared at the sky. 

"He's right," she said. "We're in for another storm. A big one." 

"Worse than last time?" asked Kouichi, a bit anxiously. The distraction cost him, and he wound up having his foot swept out from under him by a swing of his brother's staff. 

"Sorry!" Kouji said. "I thought you were going to dodge." 

Tomoki looked up at the sky. It was clear blue, with only a few clouds just barely visible in the distance. The sun beamed innocently down on him. 

"It doesn't look like it's going to rain," he said. 

"It's not going to rain soon," said Junpei. "At least, I don't think it is. It's still a few hours away. It'll probably hit around nightfall... don't you think?" he added, with an inquisitive glance at Izumi. 

"I think you're right," she said. "The wind isn't very strong, yet. Is all this rain natural, Bokomon?" 

Bokomon, who had been idly leafing through his book (Neemon was amusing himself by looking at the pictures), spared a glance in their direction. 

"I'm afraid so," he answered. "Storms are fairly common this time of year. We'll probably be hit with a few more of them before the weather settles down." 

"Great," said Takuya. "Wish I'd packed a raincoat. Or an umbrella." 

"Too bad _that's_ not one of those Artifacts we're looking for, hm?" said Kouichi. 

Tomoki laughed. "A magic umbrella! That's funny! I wonder what it would do?" 

"If it's anything like the other Artifacts we've seen so far, it would cause trouble," said Kouji sourly, glancing at the Staff of Order. 

"Oh, I don't know," said Izumi, fingering the chain of the Star of Guidance. "This one seems nice enough. It's just the corrupted ones that are dangerous. And how would you corrupt an umbrella?" 

The conversation ambled off into a discussion of the possible properties of a magic umbrella, and how they might be misused. Kouichi listened for a while, shook his head in vague amazement at the whole thing, and wandered off on his own again. 

He saw something red out of the corner of his eye. Glancing up, he saw nothing, but he was sure that just for a minute, he had seen something moving out there in the shadows. He was also beginning to have a sneaky feeling that no one else in the group would have been able to see what he'd seen. 

"What's gotten you so thoughtful all of a sudden?" asked Kouji, who had a lower tolerance for nonsense than his brother did, and had gotten bored several minutes ago. 

"That Witchmon character is still following us," his brother replied. 

"Are you sure?" asked Kouji, staring very hard into the trees. 

"I'm as sure as Izumi and Junpei are sure it's going to rain," Kouichi replied. 

"Hm," said Kouji. He wasn't entirely sure he approved of this strange way of knowing things. Still, it was starting to become apparent that it had its uses. "Well, there's no point in worrying about it now, is there?" 

"I guess not," Kouichi agreed. "She probably isn't finding out a lot just from watching us eat lunch." 

"And no way of getting rid of her," Kouji agreed. He made a face. "I get the feeling we've picked up a mascot, whether we want her or not." 

"I guess so," Kouichi agreed. 

"Hey, you two!" said Izumi. "Are you going to eat lunch, or what?" 

"We're coming, we're coming," said Kouji. He tossed his bamboo staff aside and picked up the Staff of Order. It seemed to vibrate slightly in his hand, and then settle down. Kouji nodded, apparently pleased by its compliancy, and went to eat. 

For a while, they ate in silence, as befitted people who had been walking all morning and were preparing to walk all afternoon over rough terrain. As they moved further and further from the lake, the area became more hilly and densely forested, and there were no trails in the direction they needed to go, forcing them to cut their own path through the brush. What had once been visible only as bluish lumps against the sky, indistinguishable from distant clouds, now became clearly visible as mountains. Bokomon had told them that they marked the border between the Continent of Light and its adjoining continents. 

"It's all a matter of where we want to go, really," said Bokomon. He had set out his book and flipped it to a page showing a map of the Digital World - crude, but serviceable for their purpose. "If we veer a little more northward, we'll find ourselves in the Continent of Metal. Southwards would lead us to the Continent of Earth. If we want to reach the Continent of Metal, we'll have to make our way along the edges of the mountains to a river crossing somewhere over there." He gestured vaguely. 

"Is that where the Temple of the Fallen Moon is?" asked Takuya. 

"Well, no... but it is a very interesting and historical place, and you hardly got to see it properly last time you were there, so..." 

"So we'll go there after we see the Temple," Takuya said. 

"Oh, all right," said Bokomon. "If we're going to the Continent of Earth, we'll have to cross over these mountains and pick our way through a perilous rocky gap amid the snow-covered peaks. There. Are you happy now?" 

"I'm beginning to wish I'd packed some boots," said Izumi, looking at her feet. She was wearing a pair of white and purple sneakers - stylish and comfortable, but hardly designed for mountain treks. "Isn't there an easier way?" 

"Yes, if we want to go about fifty miles out of our way," said Bokomon. 

"Well, we'll just have to take the shortcut," said Takuya. "Everyone brought their jackets, I hope?" 

"I've got mine," said Junpei, "in case anyone wants to borrow it." He shot Izumi a significant look, and she cuffed his shoulder, but it was only a perfunctory swipe. She had long ago realized that she'd have better luck trying to convince a tree not to grow towards the sun than to convince him to stop chasing her. 

"Excuse me a minute," said Kouichi. "Nature calls." 

"Okay, but don't stray off too far," said Kouji. 

Kouichi nodded and began walking off to the privacy of the nearby trees. He'd been hit by a sudden impulse to leave, but it had nothing to do with calls of nature. It had suddenly occurred to him that they were discussing their plans in a certain amount of detail, and that he also knew (or was fairly sure he knew) that there was an unfriendly pair of eyes watching them all. He had a notion it might be a good idea to provide a distraction of some sort, just in case. It was true, too, that he was feeling the lure of curiosity. 

"It's no good hiding from me," he said to the empty forest. "I know you're out there, so why don't you just show yourself and be done with it?" 

There was an empty silence. Kouichi counted off thirty seconds, and then thirty more. 

"Fine, then," he said. "Be that way." He shrugged and prepared to walk off. 

"I can't show myself," said a voice. It was feminine and vaguely familiar. Kouichi stared in the direction it had come from - somewhere over his head. 

"Why not?" he asked curiously. 

"Because," she answered, "I'm stuck in a tree, and I can't get down." 

"Oh," he said. 

"Don't say it," she said. "I know I'm hopeless." 

"I wasn't going to say that," he answered. "I don't know the first thing about flying a broom. It's not my place to criticize how well you do it." 

"You don't mean that. You think I'm a klutz, just like everyone else." 

"Fine, be that way," said Kouichi. "Anyway... do you need some help? Where are you?" 

"Over here." 

Kouichi followed her voice to a particularly large and twisted pine tree. It was very tall, but fortunately, it had lots of rough bark and jutting dead branches that would make it easy to climb. Looking up to its top, Kouichi could see a broom balanced precariously many yards above his head, and above that was Witchmon, her hair and gown hopelessly tangled in the tree branches. A cat clung to her shoulder, glaring suspiciously down at him with an expression uncannily like Witchmon's. 

"You look stuck, all right," he said. "Don't worry, I'll help you. Don't move." 

"Where am I going to go?" she asked. 

Kouichi ignored this question and started to climb. Within short order, he'd reached the broom and was able to retrieve it. Then he scrambled up to where Witchmon was and assessed her situation. She truly had gotten herself into a royal tangle, and it was evident that she'd been struggling to free herself, thereby making things even worse for herself than they already were. 

"This could take a while," said Kouichi. "Just try to sit still." His deft fingers went to work untwisting her clothing from the clinging grip of the tree. 

"I can't move at all," she complained. She continued regarding him mistrustfully. "Why are you helping me, anyway?" 

He shrugged, trying to unhook one of her many leather straps from a branch. "Well, you helped us all out the other night. Maybe I want to return the favor." 

"Oh," she said. Her expression softened a fraction. "I didn't think you would." 

"I aim to be honorable," he answered. "So. I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name's Kouichi. You are?" 

"Witchmon," she said. "And this is Cat." 

"Nice to meet you," he said. "How have you been? I didn't see much of you yesterday." 

"I was busy," she said. "I'm spying on you." 

"I noticed. Could you move a little to the right, please? No, my right. That's it." He began untangling a lock of her hair from a clump of twigs. "Spying can't be very much fun. I've done it before, and it gets pretty tedious. So, what do you do when you're not working?" 

"Oh, well, not much," answered Witchmon. "Study, mostly. I'm learning to be a sorceress?." 

"Are you? Sounds exciting." 

"It's not, really. Well, sometimes it is. Mostly I'm not very good at it, but I try really, really hard. Lilithmon and my brother teach me. They do their best. It's not their fault I'm not a very good student." 

"I didn't know you have a brother. Is he nice?" 

"He's good to me. He helps me when I'm in trouble," said Witchmon. "He has to scold me a lot because I make so many mistakes, but he only does it so I'll be a better sorceress. He was the one who gave me to Lilithmon, so she could teach me. I'm very grateful to him. He's the only Digimon in the world who really loves me." She said this defiantly, raising her chin and glaring at him, as if he'd made an accusation. 

"I see," he answered softly. 

"Why are you asking all these questions, anyway?" she demanded. "I'm supposed to be spying on you, not the other way around." 

"I'm not spying," he said. "I'm just being friendly." 

"Well, I don't like it," she said. "You shouldn't be so nosey." 

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to offend you," he said. "Anyway, you're all free now, so you can leave, if you want." 

"Hm?" She looked around, and seemed surprised to realize that she was no longer stuck. 

"Here's your broom back," he said, handing it to her. 

"Fine," she said. "Now we're even, and I'm not going to do any more favors for you! .... Wait, you were the one who owed me a favor. I think. Oh, well, it doesn't matter. Just go away and leave me alone!" 

She jumped on her broom, dropped several feet with a squeal, and then took off and flew unsteadily away. Kouichi gave a half-shrug and began scrambling down the tree. He walked briskly back in the direction of the campsite. 

"Hey, man, where have you been?" asked Takuya. "We were starting to wonder about you. You were gone a long time." 

"I ran into our friend Witchmon, and we had a little talk," Kouichi replied. 

"You talked to Witchmon?" asked Junpei. "I thought she was one of the badguys." 

"She seems to think so, too," Kouichi replied. "She reminds me, just a little, of someone I used to know." 

"Be careful," said Kouji. "Don't go identifying her with yourself. It's a totally different case, and you know it." 

"Yes, you're right," Kouichi answered quietly. "Don't worry, Kouji. I won't forget." 

"Come on, gang," said Takuya. "It's time to make some tracks." 

They poured water over their campfire until they were sure there wasn't so much as a spark left, and then began picking their way ever closer to the mountains. Takuya strode bravely along in front, but Kouichi brought up a silent rear guard, thinking quietly about his brief conversation with Witchmon. In particular, he was intrigued by her words about her brother - the one who loved her and looked after her. He thought of how defiant she sounded, and wondered just who she was trying to convince. 

~*~

Safe on the ground once more, and feeling very reluctant to leave it, Witchmon huddled in the bushes and tried to get herself in order. Her encounter with the human boy Kouichi had left her somewhat befuddled, and she was having a difficult time getting her wits together. Just _why_ would he want to be so nice to her? Didn't he know she was his enemy? She shook her head. She knew very little of Digimon nature, and less of human nature - in fact, the only other people besides herself she knew were her brother and her mistress. It was impossible for her to guess what the boy's motivations had been. 

*_I'll ask Wisemon. He'll know._* 

She took off her hat and reached into it, withdrawing a topaz-colored crystal about the size of a baseball. It was polished into a perfectly smooth sphere and was so clear it would have been nearly invisible save for its color and a sheen of reflected light. She cupped it in both her hands and breathed on it, briefly clouding its surface with a mist of vapor. When it cleared, she could see Wisemon's face, or at least his glowing eyes, looking back at her, as if he were standing over her shoulder and being reflected in the crystal's shiny surface. 

"It's about time," he said. "Have you anything to report?" 

"Yes," she said. "The human children are going to attempt to go through the Waterstone Pass in the south. They say they're headed for the Temple of the Fallen Moon on the Continent of Earth." 

"Why in blazes would they want to go there?" asked Wisemon. "They must be even more foolish than they look. Even our kind don't go there." 

"Well, that's where they said they were going," Witchmon answered. "I know what I heard, and that was it." 

"Interesting. Well, they must have their reasons," he said doubtfully. "Still, if that's where they want to go, then that's all the reason we need to stop them from going there... and the Waterstone Pass is not a bad place to do it. I will have to try to find something more effective than that FlaWizarmon... unfortunately there are not but so many useful monsters in my lady's collection. I will think about the problem and get back to you." 

She saw him raise a hand to close off the connection, and she said, "Wait! I'm not done yet!" 

"Oh? What is it now? Don't tell me you made another mistake." 

"Well, not _exactly_..." 

Wisemon's eyes narrowed. "How do you _not exactly_ make a mistake? Either you do or you don't." 

"Well, it was kind of more like a difficulty," she said. "Er... an unexpected... something-or- other. Event? Incident?" 

"Spit it out already." 

"All right," said Witchmon. "I was flying, see, and you know I'm not very good at flying, and I always crash or fall off or get all tangled up..." 

"Witchmon." 

"Um. Well... I did fall off, and I got tangled up and stuck in the tree and I couldn't get out." 

"And you felt you needed to tell me that?" 

"I'm still not done yet," she said. 

"Well, get to the point. I don't have all day." 

"Okay. I was stuck in the tree, and I couldn't get down, and one of the children came looking for me. And I couldn't get away, see, because I was stuck. And he heard me and he climbed up in the tree with me." 

Wisemon was watching her very intently. "I don't like the way this is going. Don't tell me he...?" 

"He was very nice to me," Witchmon hastened to assure him. "He untangled me and let me down and found my broom for me and everything. He talked to me." 

"Yes," Wisemon hissed. "I was afraid it might be something like that." 

Witchmon blinked. "Was that bad?" 

"Listen to me, Witchmon. You mustn't let these children talk to you again. You mustn't let them see you if at all possible. You have already spent too much time with them already. Any more could be dangerous." 

"But they seem so nice..." 

"That is the danger, Witchmon. They are not fools, Witchmon, and they are not nearly so naive as you are. Give them a chance, and they will begin to poison your mind." 

"Poison?" Witchmon exclaimed. 

Wisemon sighed. "It is an expression. Listen. The more time you spend in each other's company, the more familiar you will become to them, and they to you. You may find yourself beginning to like them. You may even regard them as your friends. That is what they will try to do - to make you their friend. Once they've done that, they will have power over you, and you will not be able to complete your mission, because you will be unable to bring yourselves to hurt them. Once they do that, you will be useless to Lilithmon, do you understand me? Lilithmon does not keep things that are useless." 

Witchmon thought of what Lilithmon did to creatures that were useless to her. When Withchmon had been very young, only a Baby II stage, Lilithmon had had a servant who had grown rebellious and had started shirking his work. He had screamed for the better part of an afternoon once Lilithmon had started dealing with him. Worse were the hours that came after, when he had thrashed around most of the night with his voice too broken to cry out anymore. It had been three days before he'd finally died. Witchmon shivered. 

"I'll be very careful, Wisemon," she said. 

"Good. I am glad we've come to this understanding. Now, here is what I want you to do. Tail the children as closely as you can without being seen. As soon as they are within a mile of the Waterstone Pass, tap your crystal three times with your left hand. That will send a signal to me, and I will take over from there. Is that understood?" 

"Mile of Waterstone Pass, tap crystal three times with left hand," Witchmon recited automatically. If nothing else, she _was_ good at remembering what she'd been told, so long as she didn't have to remember it under extreme pressure. 

"Good. I will be waiting for the signal," said Wisemon. "Let me know also if they decide to change course. Be careful, and whatever you do, don't _talk_ to anyone again!" 

The last she saw of him was an image of his clawed hand coming down over his own sphere, and then she was just holding a pretty and innocent bubble of glass. She put it back in her hat and put the had back on her head. 

"Waterstone Pass," she said. "That sounds wet... and they said it was going to rain tonight, too. Crumbs," she muttered. "I hate getting wet." 

Well, there was no help for it. She took off and rose slowly into the sky, setting out in the direction of the Waterstone Pass. 

She thought it might help if she actually knew where it was. 

~*~

Rainclouds were gathering overhead as the group neared the beginning of the mountain range. Already the hills were growing steeper and taller, and here and there rocks jutted outward. The traveling party had to choose their way with care; what looked like an innocent incline might end in a sudden steep drop-off high enough to twist an ankle or break a bone, should someone take an unwary step off the edge. Bokomon, with his ever-reliable book, was elected to seek a path for them, and while his rough map was able to guide them in more-or-less the right direction, the going was still slow. 

"Should we be thinking about stopping for a while?" asked Takuya, glaring up at the sky. The clouds were thick, with an ominous blue-gray color to them that seemed to promise a great deal of cold water dumped on anyone foolish enough to stand under them for too long. Now and then thunder could be heard growling from far away. 

"Wouldn't do much good," said Junpei gloomily. "This rain's going to stay here for a while. We'd lose a day of travel." 

"And be sitting ducks for whatever comes after us next," said Kouji, equally grim. 

"Very _wet_ ducks," said Izumi. 

"Very wet," Bokomon agreed. "I don't know where we'll find shelter between here and the pass. Beyond that, we might find a cave or an overhang, but..." 

"For now, we're going to get wet," Kouichi summed up. 

"I could use a bath," said Neemon. 

Bokomon shook his head, but all he said was, "I hate being caught in the rain. It makes the pages of my book stick together, and it takes ages for it to dry out properly." 

"Seems to me," said Takuya, "the best thing to do would be to get to that pass in as much of a hurry as we can. After all, if the only shelter is on the other side, that's where we want to be." 

Everyone agreed that this was a good plan, and they picked up their pace. From time to time, a cold raindrop would fall down from the heavy clouds and splatter on someone's head or neck or nose, causing an outcry from whoever the unlucky recipient was. After a while, though, these became too common to notice, though it was not so much raining yet as dripping with great frequency. They trudged up an increasingly muddy hill, and Bokomon called a halt to point off in the distance. The group could see that they were heading for a gap between two particularly prominent mountains; a deep divide seemed to have been carved or blasted between them, an unnaturally straight-sided gap between two rougher surfaces. 

"That's where we're aiming," he said. "The path between the mountains begins there. We'll be safer there than anywhere else in the area." 

"How about dryer?" said Kouji, but quietly. 

They headed downhill again, slipping and sliding on the damp grass. Neemon gave up trying to walk and simply threw himself forward in a belly-flop, gliding gracefully down the hill. 

"Whee! This is fun!" he cheered. 

"How undignified," Bokomon muttered. "You wouldn't catch me doing something liiiii-!" 

His foot suddenly caught on a hidden rock, and he tripped and began rolling rapidly down the hill. He quickly outstripped his companion and continued rolling, right up until he reached the bottom and landed upside-down against the trunk of a tree. 

"That looked like fun!" said Neemon. "I wish I could turn somersaults like that!" 

"I think you are," Bokomon replied, watching woozily as his vision spun. 

"Come on, guy. Upsidaisy!" said Takuya, grabbing Bokomon and hauling him to his feet. "You can't sit down there all day. You'll get even wetter than you are already." 

"To do that, I would have to go back and jump in the lake," answered Bokomon grumpily, but he began tottering off again in more or less the right direction, if not in a perfectly straight line. 

Gradually, a change came over the hilly land: it stopped being quite so up-and-down, and began progressing at a steady upward angle. The rain was falling faster now, and the ground had become muddy and slick, making the wandering humans feel they were sliding back a pace for every two they took forward. They were probably not far off the mark. 

Meanwhile, a few hilltops away, a dark presence quietly appeared where it had not been before. A few Prairiemon who had been grazing the grassy hillside suddenly saw the advantage of looking for shelter from the rain, and vanished in a flurry of fur and hopping feet. Wisemon watched them go with his mouth twisted into a sneer, invisible beneath his hood but almost palpable in its malice. 

"Get out of here, you four-legged vermin," he snarled at their retreating forms. 

Wisemon became aware of the pattering of raindrops on his back, and he sighed tiredly. Things like this made him acutely aware of why his mistress seldom if ever left the privacy of her manor - indeed, seldom ever left the privacy of her throne room and private chambers. He couldn't imagine her submitting herself to the whims of the elements. While the thick material of his cloak and cowl protected him from the worst of what nature had to offer, it was still not pleasant having raindrops blown in his eyes. He had also learned his lady's deep-seated hatred for all beast-type Digimon. As far as he was concerned, they were useless except as possible victims of the lady's tortures, or, in rare cases, as tools. Right now was one of those times. 

With a flick of a clawed hand, Wisemon sent a scrap of magic wandering up into the hills, and he waited. For a long while, nothing happened but the continuous falling of the rain. Wisemon simply waited. Then, in the distance, he saw three dark shapes moving down from the mountainside. He spread his arms wide as if to welcome them, and they came cautiously forward to meet him. They were unpleasant-looking things, and Wisemon had a struggle to hide his revulsion. In aspect, they were something like large dogs and something like dragons, with great ragged wings and sharp claws. Each had four glowing red eyes that watched him suspiciously. Objectively, he couldn't blame them. Devidramon were among the fiercer wild Digimon that roamed the world, solitary beasts who did not care for company of any sort, unless it was the kind of company that could quickly be converted to dinner. They were only here because they'd been compelled by his spell, and if he let his guard down, they were liable to attack him. Of course, such an attack would likely result in them being turned into scraps of data, but... 

Wisemon's hands moved again, and the dragon-dogs halted, finding themselves struck by an unnatural but irresistible impulse to leave him alone. Instead, they sat down and stared at him, letting their eyes be drawn to the two glowing points of light that shown within the depths of his cowl. As they stared, they found strange images being pressed into their minds, images of odd creatures they had never seen before, beings that walked on two legs and wore outlandish clothing, creatures that somehow didn't look like Digimon. The three Devidramon were suddenly struck with a notion that they were ravenously hungry, coupled with a certainty that these odd beings would taste simply _wonderful_, if they could just catch them. Coupled with that was the knowledge that these prizes were wandering around completely unprotected, and less than a mile away. 

Wisemon didn't even have to send them off. The Devidramon left in a rush of black wings, spraying water everywhere as they surged from the ground and into the cloudy sky. Wisemon watched them a moment to be sure they were going the right way. Then he nodded in grim satisfaction. The human children would be ripped to bits by the Devidramon, and that would be the end of their meddling. Lady Lilithmon would be pleased, and as long as she was happy, he was free to do whatever else he liked. It had always been a good arrangement, and he was glad it was working out now. He considered simply transporting himself home again, but he paused without completing his spell, held in place by a combination of professional curiosity and personal greed. What, he wondered, would become of a human child after it was destroyed? Would it revert to an egg stage, the way Digimon did? Or would it simply disappear? Or some other possibility unheard of in this world? And then there was the matter of the Artifacts they'd been carrying. Even if the Star of Knowledge refused to obey him, the Staff of Order would, and such a staff would be a useful thing to have around. Making up his mind, he finished his vanishing spell, but not to return to his lady's side. Not just yet. 

Knowing nothing of this, the human wanderers continued slogging through the rain, their heads bowed against the onslaught of the heavens. The trees were thinning here, giving way to rocky soil interspersed with patches of grass. It was raining harder than ever now, and without the cover of trees overhead, they were all soaked to the skin. The only blessing was that the rocky soil was not nearly as muddy as the ground they were leaving, though the slippery wet rocks were hardly preferable. 

"Just a bit further," said Bokomon. His voice was hardly audible above the rush of rain and the occasional boom of thunder. 

"What was that?" asked Kouichi. 

"I said, just a bit further!" Bokomon shouted, so loud that Neemon jumped and covered his ears. 

"Don't _do_ that!" he protested. 

"Oh, did you say something, Bokomon?" Kouichi asked. 

"Never mind me," Bokomon muttered. "I didn't say a word." 

"Sorry," said Kouichi. "I meant, I knew I heard something, but it didn't sound like someone talking. It sounded more like wings flapping." 

"It's the thunder," said Takuya dismissively. "Or maybe the wind." 

"Or," said Kouji in tones of resignation, "it could have been those monsters up there." 

"Huh?" Takuya looked up, and wished he hadn't. Three spidery creatures, apparently all long legs and claws and teeth and wings, were descending on the group from the stormy sky. Takuya thought he might have preferred a nice, simple lightning bolt. 

"_Now_ what do we do?" Junpei shouted. 

"We make a run for it, that's what!" Kouji shouted back. 

"Are you crazy?" complained Izumi. "We can barely walk in this mess!" 

"I'm going to try anyway!" said Tomoki, and broke into a run. The others did their best to follow his example. 

There followed a wild scramble up the rocky slope, tripping and stumbling. Neemon tripped and fell; Junpei scooped him up and slung him over his shoulder as he passed. Takuya saw what had happened and picked up Bokomon even as he was running. The little Digimon's feet continued to pump for a few seconds before he realized that he was no longer touching the ground. Then he found himself being plopped onto Takuya's shoulders, and settled himself down comfortably. 

"Just keep heading that way!" he shouted. "If we can just make it to the pass, we should be all right!" 

"Big if," Takuya muttered. He spared a glance up at the sky and saw the dragons looming closer. He didn't like the way they were moving - they had the distinct look of something who knows its prey can't get away, and it's only a matter of time before it's captured and eaten. 

Looking up turned out to be a bad idea, because it took his attention away from his feet. The next thing he knew, his toe had come in contact with something painfully hard, and he was falling and slamming into the ground. His chin struck a rock hard enough to draw blood, and Bokomon fell off his shoulders and was propelled a few additional feet forward until he landed on his stomach. Takuya sat up, spitting mud and gravel, and found himself looking at a set of clawed feet. 

"Whoa!" he yelped. He rolled over, and in the next second, he heard the clash of teeth coming together just where he had been earlier. 

He looked up - and rolled over again quickly as he saw another set of claws came dropping out of the sky. Leaping to his feet, he saw the third monster land a few yards away, causing the rest of his friends to scatter. 

"Do I even want to know what that is?" asked Junpei. 

"It's a Devidramon," said Bokomon. "You don't want to know any more than that!" 

"That's what I thought," Kouji said. "Hey, you, get away from my friends!" 

He twirled the Staff menacingly, distracting the Devidramon long enough for Takuya to back out of the danger zone. One of the Devidramon, braver than the rest, crept forward cautiously and got hit on the nose for its efforts. It backed off, snarling, with malice in its eyes. Kouji felt a sinking feeling. That trick might work once, but he doubted it would catch these monsters by surprise a second time. This one had only been sizing him up, but now that it was angry, it would be difficult to stop it from doing real damage... difficult, or impossible. An urge welled up from somewhere to use the Staff's powers to put these brutes in their place, and he squelched it with an effort. 

"Where did these things come from?" he asked, swinging the staff in an arc, attempting to keep the dragons at bay, while the others huddled behind him. "Are these more of Lilithmon's goons?" 

"Well," said Bokomon, who was cringing behind Takuya a few yards away, "do you remember when I said that some Digimon don't really need a reason to make trouble...?" 

"Great," said Takuya - and jumped as a dragon launched itself at him. Its teeth closed on the hem of his shirt, and he heard a ripping sound as part of the fabric parted company from the rest of the garment. "Any ideas what we should do now?" 

"You're going to have to evolve!" said Tomoki. "You're the only one who can fight them off!" 

Takuya hesitated. In his mind, it made sense - he was the only one who could become a Digimon, so it fell to him to save his friends. But what if he lost himself again? What if he ran off into the mountains and his friends never found him again? He could be trapped here forever, alone and lost... 

*_I have to do it,_* he told himself. *_It's their only chance. Even if I don't make it, I have to protect them..._* 

He reached deep inside himself, trying to summon that glimmering flame of power that had lodged inside him. He felt it respond - or try to, but it fizzled out. Instead of the rush of warmth he expected, he only felt cold, and intently aware of how wet he was... 

The next thing he felt was a flaming pain running across his shoulder. He moved, but it was already too late - one of the Devidramon had already scored a scratch on him. He leaped out of the way, trying to avoid being pounced. Attracted by the scent of blood, the other Devidramon turned their attention to him and began closing in. 

"Do something!" shouted Izumi. "Evolve already before you get eaten!" 

"I can't!" Takuya called back. There was a note of panic in his voice; for all his efforts, he was barely keeping out of clawing range. "It's too wet! The rain just puts the fire out!" 

"Well, somebody's got to do something!" said Tomoki. "Hey, you ugly things! Leave Takuya alone! Go away!" 

He ran up to the nearest Devidramon and pulled sharply on its tail. The dragon whirled and snapped at him, and he jumped out of the way. 

"You're just making it angry!" said Bokomon. "Quit fooling around and run away!" 

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Takuya shouted back. 

"Scatter!" Kouji ordered. "Maybe we can confuse them!" 

He suited action to words, running daringly alongside the crowd of Devidramon and shouting at them, trying to attract their attention. Having no better plans, the rest of the group did the same, running in circles and making enough noise to rival the storm. The Devidramon watched them, looking confused. As soon as they had taken their eyes off of Takuya, he broke into his fastest run. 

"Head for the trees!" he called. "Hide and regroup later!" 

Junpei heard this and moved to obey, but his heart wasn't in it. Around him, he could see his friends running for their lives, scattering in all directions, while behind him, he could hear the beating of leathery wings. The sound of the driving rain and thunder seemed to be intensifying around him; the world felt dark. Inside, his blood was boiling. He might be the most peaceable of people most of hte time, but when his friends were threatened, he could turn into a juggernaut without warning. How dare these monsters attack his friends? And why was he running away from them? He was a Legendary Warrior; he ought to be zapping these things into oblivion, not running away! But his Spirit was lost, now, gone to who-knew-where, and now all he could do to protect his friends was run and hide... 

"No," he said, halting. "I refuse to run away!" 

Out of the corner of her eye, Izumi saw him stop, and she shouted at him as she ran. 

"Junpei, you idiot, what are you doing? Get away!" 

He shook his head, silently. The wind lashed rain into his face, and water sheeted over his skin and dripped from his clothes and hair. He could feel the air around him tingling; he was vaguely aware that he had paused on a hilltop, and more acutely aware of how exposed he was to the elements. The clouds overhead seemed so close that he could almost reach up and touch them... 

*_I don't care whether I've got the Spirit of Thunder with me or not. This storm ought to be my ally. There has to be a way..._* 

In the air above him, the three Devidramon had spotted him. Seeing a human standing still and wide open, they moved as one to rush towards him. They fell like black hailstones, too fast to dodge, and Junpei could only stand and watch them coming and reflect, somewhere in the back of his mind, if perhaps he'd made a very stupid mistake. Then something inside him snapped, and he shook his fist at the sky and bellowed, "_Help me!_" 

There was a sizzling rush, and the Devidramon fanned their wings and tried to backpedal as a bolt of lightning fell out of the sky and struck Junpei's upraised fist. 

For his part, all he noticed was a sudden flash of light that seemed to obscure the world in white brilliance. He was aware of a flood of energy rushing through him, making every nerve tingle. It was a strange feeling, but not unpleasant - on the contrary, he couldn't remember feeling more completely alive... 

_...Every heartbeat, every thought you have is powered by an electrical pulse, the same force that flashes in the heart of a storm. The same power that lights the cities and powers the machines is also moving in you and in everything that moves and breathes. It moves in the sky and the earth, and is the path that connects the two. You will never be alone, and have never been alone, because you are connected to every living thing. The thunder is in you; you are Thunder!_

To those watching from the sidelines, all that could be seen was a snaking line of light that briefly linked the storm that roared in the sky to their friend as he shouted on the ground. Then there was an eye-searing flash... and something flew out of it. 

For a moment, the observers on all sides were at a loss to say exactly what they were seeing, other than that it was rather bluish in color and moving very, very fast. Then it slowed briefly, hovering in midair to better size up his opponents, and in the flash of a bolt of lightning, they were finally able to catch a glimpse. What they saw was a small human-type warrior wearing blue boots, gloves, and armor that plated his chest and shoulders, worn over loose clothing of pale blue cloth. Most of his face seemed to be covered by a matching scarf, but they could see a pair of green eyes glinting out. On his head was a helmet that put them in mind of the samurai of old, adorned with two trailing ribbons that brought to mind lightning bolts, or the antennae of an insect. From his back sprung a set of wings - whirring insect's wings, and over that, the harder shell-wings of a beetle, patterned in blue and gold. The group had barely enough time to register these details before he started moving again and faded into a blue blur. 

Kouji had stopped running. He looked to where his brother stood a few yards away, equally still. 

"You don't have to tell me," he said dryly. "I can guess what happened." 

Kouichi nodded silently and watched as his friend-turned-Digimon shot through the sky. "Well, this complicates things, doesn't it?" 

Meanwhile, unaware that he was being watched, Junpei continued his flight. He was enjoying himself immensely. The lightning was still thrumming in his veins, and he was feeling high in more ways than just altitude. Never in his life had he been able to move so freely! Even as Blitzmon, he had always been primarily a heavy metal fighter, built more for power than maneuverability. Now he was discovering _speed_ - and liking it. Around him, the thunderclouds rolled, and he laughed. 

Suddenly, something struck him, throwing him off course. He struggled to right himself, glaring behind him to see what had dared to interrupt his flight. He wasn't injured - the attack had only clipped the hard part of his wings - but he was annoyed at the interruption. Couldn't whoever or whatever it was leave him alone to enjoy himself? 

"Knock it off, would you?" he scolded the Devidramon. 

The Devidramon was not impressed. It snarled at him and snapped its teeth at him, but by that time, he had already flown several feet straight upwards, and was now glaring down at all three of them. Crazy dogs - didn't they know better? He wasn't someone to take lightly. He was Mushimon, the incarnation of Thunder! 

*_Wait a minute, is that right? I'm pretty sure things weren't like this yesterday... but it feels so natural. I must be wrong... Of course this is who I am!_* 

The nearest Devidramon attempted a lunge, but it was no match for Mushimon's speed, and its claws closed on thin air. Mushimon watched it from a safe distance, and then began flying straight toward it. The demon-dog tried to claw at him as he went by - and so did the Devidramon next to it. The two of them crashed into each other and fell out of the sky in a tangle of long limbs and helplessly fluttering wings. They hit the rocky terrain below with an audible crash and lay there, stunned. 

"Two down, one to go," said Mushimon. 

The last Devidramon didn't look like it was prepared to go down without a fight. It hovered a short distance away, watching its enemy carefully. It seemed to have gotten the message that it could not outmaneuver this small flying thing, so it hung back, watching for an opening. The insect-warrior buzzed closer, just out of reach, taunting it. With the speed of a striking snake, the Devidramon lunged forward, mouth wide open, and suddenly all Mushimon could see was teeth and the red-black of a throat. 

"_Jolt Jab!_" 

The Devidramon backed off with a gurgling howl of agony. Just as its jaws were about to close, Mushimon had jammed a small, glowing dagger into the back of its throat. While it thrashed in pain, its prey retreated a short distance, waiting to see if the monster would try again, but the Devidramon had had enough. The spell that had compelled it to come this far had hinted of soft, easy prey - not speedy beetles that stung so painfully. With a final snarl, it turned and flapped off into the cloudy sky and vanished from sight. 

"Any other takers?" asked Mushimon. 

There were none. The other Devidramon had recovered their wits with the spell dispersed, and at the sight of each other, they had run off in opposite directions, returning to their solitude. Mushimon acknowledged his victory with a cheer and a flourish of his dagger before sliding it back in place. Then he turned and prepared to soar off to new battlefields. 

"Hey, you!" Takuya shouted. "Come back here! You aren't leaving yet!" 

Mushimon paused, looking down in puzzlement. "Why not?" 

"Because you've got to come with us," Tomoki told him. 

Mushimon blinked. Come to think of it, these people did look oddly familiar, but the memory felt a million years old. Surely they didn't matter, anymore. Not when the freedom of the sky and the storm beckoned so temptingly. 

"Why should I come with you?" he asked. "You could never keep up with me. You'd just drag me down." 

"Not if you changed back into a human," said Kouichi. 

"You're crazy. I'm not human. I'm Mushimon, a warrior of Thunder." 

"That doesn't matter," said Kouji. "You'll come with us anyway, and if you don't, we'll follow you, because you're our friend." 

Mushimon shook his head. "You're not making any sense. I don't know you at all... and even if I did, why should I follow you? Sorry, but I'm leaving." 

He turned and began to fly away. The others watched, perplexed. How were they supposed to follow him when he could fly so fast in any direction? He could simply disappear into the clouds, and they'd never know which way he'd gone. 

_"I should have known it would come to this!"_

The shout was so loud and so intense that the rest of the group jumped, and Mushimon halted in midair. He turned around and looked - at Izumi, who was glaring up at him with a fire in her eyes that all the rainstorms in the world couldn't put out. 

"I just knew you'd be like this in the end. I knew it all along!" she ranted. "You can never trust a guy, not one of them! They tell you they like you, and as soon as you let yourself trust them, they throw you aside like a used gum wrapper! I should have known all along that you never meant it when you said you loved me." 

And she turned on her heel and started marching determinedly away. The other boys nearby backed away from her, as if they thought she might explode. 

Mushimon simply stared at her, an expression of profound shock in his eyes... and then, slowly, a look of pain. 

"Wait!" he said. "Hey, wait... don't go. Did I... do something wrong?" He shook himself. "Come back! _Izumi!_" 

She stopped. Slowly, she turned around to meet his eyes. 

"So you do remember me," she said. "I thought you would, if I prodded you a little." 

"Of course I remember you! How could I forget? But..." He shook himself. "Geez, I'm all confused... Everything's a blur... You guys look really small from way up here, you know that?" 

Sensing that the worst of the battle had been won, Takuya managed a reassuring grin. "Well, come on down and let's see if we can get you straightened out." 

Mushimon slowly descended from the sky to land on the grass in front of the others. As he came closer to them, he was surprised to realize that his new Digimon form was actually several inches shorter than his natural human form. He was used to being the tallest of the lot, and now he was on eye level with Tomoki. He was used to looking up to Izumi in a figurative sense, but having her actually stand an inch or two taller than him was a new and faintly unsettling experience. 

"This is weird," he muttered. "I don't know if I like this anymore." 

"It's okay, man, we'll work through it," said Takuya. "If it works for you like it worked for me, you've just got to concentrate really hard on being human again." 

"I'll try," his friend answered. 

He closed his eyes and tried as hard as he could to remember what it was like being human. It wasn't easy; his freshest memories were of flying free in the clouds, and everything else seemed dim and distant. 

*_Come on, you can do this!_* he told himself. *_You know you're really supposed to be a human..._* 

Images flickered through his mind, hazy memories of the past. He tried to grab hold of them, to force himself to remember what he was really supposed to be. It was no use. The half of him that still wanted to be a Digimon was stubbornly refusing to be forced back into the heavy, clumsy form it used to occupy. The effort involved was draining, and he sat back and closed his eyes, trying to push past the headache that was trying to form and decide what to do. 

*_Plan. Need a plan. Maybe if I just start small..._* 

He opened his eyes again and looked down at his hands - or what he could see of them. What he had now was gloves, and he was not entirely sure if he could get them off again. That bothered him. He had very little vanity when it came to his looks, but he'd always been rather proud of his hands. The rest of him might be a bit pudgy and awkward, but his hands were toned and agile, and trained to a nicety to do whatever he asked of them. There was magic in them - maybe his human form couldn't fly or fight off monsters, but couldn't he pull of a few small miracles all the same, even if it was just to put a smile of wonder and delight on a child's face? Even as he thought about it, the image seemed to crystalize, until there was nothing more real than that memory... 

"It's about time!" 

Junpei opened his eyes. The sound of Kouji speaking had pulled him out of his daydreams. He looked down and noticed that he was once again comfortably clad in khakis and a t-shirt. 

"We were starting to get worried about you," said Kouji. "It was looking like you were going to stay like that all day." 

"It's not as easy as it looks," said Junpei. "I'd like to see you try it." 

Kouji's expression was unusually sober, even for him. "I'm starting to think I'd rather not. This thing we're doing - this element evolution, or whatever it is - is starting to look dangerous." 

"Yeah, well, so is an angry Devidramon," said Takuya, but it wasn't with quite his usual level of confidence. "Come on. I think we'd better get out of here, before those things decide to come back." 

Junpei nodded mutely and allowed his friends to help him back to his feet. He still felt weak and shaky, and still not quite his usual, cheerful self. He plodded slowly alongside the others as they continued their journey toward the pass, and the clouds quietly dispersed above their heads. 

Meanwhile, Wisemon continued to watch, narrowing his eyes in consternation. Things had not gone according to his plan, and while he was wise enough to accept that he could not predict every variable that would come into play during a battle, he was finding that he was still mildly perturbed by the fight's outcome. He had been hoping, of course, for a quick and complete rout, and rather expecting that at least one or two members of the group would be destroyed (or eaten) and that the others would be injured and probably scattered. Instead, he found them mildly demoralized, but otherwise in perfect health. 

*_I see where I made my mistake. I have put too much faith in the vulnerability of humans. These are not just humans; they are Digimon in human skins. That puts a slightly different face on the matter. I must treat them with more caution._* 

He mused for a while, weighing his options. With nothing to prove otherwise, he was going to have to assume that at any time, one or more of these humans could evolve to a powerful and probably unknown Digimon form. He would have to take that into account the next time he dealt with them. 

*_One at a time. I think that is the best way to deal with them. Then, if it does come to a direct confrontation, the target will not have friends to fall back on. They seem to lose their memories of being human when they transform. I can use that against them. Perhaps, at the very least, I can arrange it so that they forget all about wanting to search for Fabled Artifacts..._* 

He nodded, mind made up. If he was going to separate the children from each other, he would need information of a very specific sort, which could only be obtained by long and careful observation. He _could_ have done it himself, but he had other worries. However, his sister could, and would be grateful for the work. He would leave it up to her to tell him what he wanted to know. He would ask her... just as soon as he got out of this beastly rain and got himself properly dry. With a sound like a tired sigh, Wisemon vanished into the gloom. 

~*~

Upon arrival, it was immediately obvious why the gap that began the mountain road was called the Waterstone Pass. The brief but torrential rain that had fallen had filled the mountains with running water, and most of it seemed to be converging here. The pass had been carved between two steep mountains, creating roughly vertical walls on either side of the road. Down these walls spilled trickles of water, sometimes leaping out like fountains, sometimes splashing from rock to jutting rock, and sometimes just shimmering over the face of the stone like the sheerest of veils. It collected at the bottom in two deep trenches, which collected it and diverted it to who-knew-where. Tomoki eyed them with interest, dropping pebbles into the water to see them splash. 

"Well, here we are," said Bokomon proudly, as if he had been solely responsible for carving out the whole divide. "I told you I'd get you here. This is the beginning of the road through the mountains... the only reasonably safe one, anyway." 

"Is there anywhere safe to rest along the way?" asked Kouichi, sizing up the pass with a measure of distrust. Fifty yards away, the pass angled slightly, and he could not see where it ended or very much of what was ahead. "I don't want to walk into a rockslide or something." 

"I am under the impression that there are way-stations between here and the other side of the range," said Bokomon. "However, this pass isn't taken very often, and they may have fallen into disuse. I suppose we'll have to see when we get there." 

"That's encouraging," said Izumi, making a wry face. "Oh, well, it could be worse. At least it's not going to rain again today." 

"Don't say that," Kouji said. "You'll jinx us." 

"No I won't. It's not going to rain anymore today. Not on us, anyway," said Izumi confidently. 

Out of habit, the others glanced at Junpei, expecting confirmation, but he was oddly silent. He had been moody ever since his brush with the Devidramon, speaking little and staring at the ground with a worried expression. 

"Is he okay?" asked Neemon. 

"He'll be all right," said Takuya. "I'll talk to him. I know how he feels, kind of." 

The others took the hint and began to obligingly wander further down the pass, allowing Takuya to talk to Junpei in semi-privacy. Junpei watched the others leaving with a puzzled and slightly hurt expression. 

"Where did everybody go?" he asked. 

"It's okay," Takuya assured him. "They just thought you looked like you needed some breathing space... You okay?" 

"Kind of," said Junpei. 

"You sure?" 

Junpei sighed. "No." 

"Yeah, that's kind of what I thought," said Takuya. "Can you talk about it?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know... I almost lost myself. I almost forgot everything I am... I almost lost you guys, too. I almost walked off and left the most important things I have..." He shook his head; his voice was trembling slightly. "All my life, all I ever wanted was to have friends like you guys. I never want to lose any of you, and now... I might do it any time, you know? I could just disappear into thin air and never realize it had happened..." 

"I know, man," said Takuya gravely. "I've been there, too. It's scary. But remember, we're here for you no matter what. We won't let you just disappear. You're our friend, too, remember? We'll track you to the ends of the earth, if that's what it takes, but we won't let you get away." 

"You mean it?" 

"What, are you crazy? Of course I mean it!" said Takuya. "Just wouldn't be the same without you cluttering up the place, you know?" 

Junpei gave him a shaky smile. "Yeah, I think I do." 

"Good," said Takuya. "I wouldn't want you to worry. Come on, let's catch up to the others." 

He slung a friendly arm over Junpei's shoulder, and the two of them lengthened their strides to rejoin their friends. 


	6. Mirror, Mirror

**Mirror, Mirror**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

The day dawned damply. Tomoki stood at the mouth of a small cave, peering out over the landscape that was spread out before him. It wasn't a particularly pretty sight, but it was inspiring, in its way. Thin gray clouds covered the sky, blank and uniform, blurring the sun's light and turning the morning to a kind of indefinite twilight. All around him ranged the peaks of jagged mountains, their peaks stretching towards the sky as if hoping to tear through the gloom and let some light through. Off to one side, the slope dropped steeply until it was like looking down a chasm. He could see a faint shimmer at the bottom of it that probably meant water, and a few birds soared lazily above its surface. As he watched them, Tomoki felt a mountain-cold breeze brush past his face, and he raised his head to look to the path ahead. He could see snow on the mountaintops. It would be cold up there, colder even than the wind, but something about seeing the snow raised his spirits. 

_It feels like Christmas, almost, looking at the snow,_ he thought dreamily. It was, after all, very early in the morning. The others were still sound asleep. Only Tomoki had been awakened by the cool breeze that was winding its way into their chosen shelter, and now he leaned against the side of the cave and watched the sun try to come up. 

Of course, the stillness couldn't last forever. Now that the morning sun was warming the world, the breeze was picking up a bit. It tossed a strand of Izumi's hair into a sleeping Takuya's face, tickling his nose. He waved a hand vaguely, brushing it away, and rolled over. His hand accidentally came to rest on Izumi's hip. Even in deep sleep, Izumi was instantly aware that there was a hand resting on her hip, and she came awake with fire in her eye. 

"Why, you--!" she shouted. 

"Wha?" said Takuya, sitting up and looking around drowsily. 

He was brought to full wakefulness by a hand cracking across his face. 

"Yow!" he said. "What'd ya do that for?" 

Izumi looked around, taking in her surroundings. The six humans plus two Digimon were all piled haphazardly in a small cave, hardly more than a crack in the mountain, with barely enough room for all of them. She'd taken the (probably wise) precaution of putting as much space between herself and Junpei as possible, but there were still plenty of others to take into account. They were all jammed together as closely as propriety would allow; there was almost no chance that they wouldn't bump into each other at some point during the night. 

"Oops!" she said. "Sorry, Takuya. I wasn't awake." 

"Yeah, well, next time, wake up first and _then_ decide if you wanna hit somebody or not," said Takuya thickly, his hand clamped over his nose where she'd hit it. 

"What's going on?" asked Kouichi, raising his head and blinking. 

"Nothing," said Takuay. "Izumi's just freaking out, that's all." 

"I _said_ I was sorry," she said. 

"Go back to sleep," said Takuya to Kouichi. 

"Nah, it's morning," Kouichi replied. "Look, Tomoki's already up and wide awake, and the rest of us are still sleeping." 

"Well, somebody had to wake up first," said Tomoki. "Are you guys going to get up now, or what?" 

They got up, slowly, one at a time. Junpei, never quick starter in the morning, was the last to be roused. He sat up, stretched, yawned, and looked around blearily. He was unable to fathom why Takuya kept rubbing at his face and looking irritable. 

"What's goin' on?" Junpei asked. 

"Nothing," said Takuya. "You know what? You are going to win that girl over someday. Nobody but you is crazy enough to take her." 

"Uh, thanks, I think. Maybe," said Junpei. 

Izumi ignored both of the boys with an ease born of long practice. She stretched luxuriously and shook out her hair. She inspected her clothing. She was, more or less out of necessity, still wearing the same things she'd been wearing the day before. They looked a bit muddy and bedraggled after having been through rainstorms, a bout of mountain climbing, and now, sleeping on the floor of a not particularly clean cave. 

"I need a change of clothes," she said, reaching for her duffel bag, which she'd been using as a pillow. "I'm going outside for a bit. Don't peek." 

She scooped up a clean shirt and a fresh pair of shorts, and headed for the mouth of the cave. The cool breeze swept over her, refreshing her and banishing the last of her dreams. She laughed aloud, enjoying the sensation - after all, Wind _was_ her element. She loved the sensation of being up high. Even when she was much younger, she had loved riding on airplanes. Now she relished being in the mountains, heading steadily upward, slowly nearing the clouds. Standing so high up, seeing the rest of the world falling away beneath her, she could almost believe she was flying again. In response to that thought, something inside her seemed to stir for an instant, and then subsided as soon as she noticed it. 

"Got to find somewhere to change," she told herself, bringing her mind back to more earthly matters. 

She walked a few yards away from the cave, searching for a place that would be conveniently out of sight, both for the rest of her traveling companions, but from any wandering Digimon. The majority of them might not know the difference between a clothed human and an unclothed one, but she hadn't forgotten that there were enemies prowling around, and she didn't want to be attacked in such an unprotected state. It took a while before she finally found a suitable area, a cleft between two hills that ran perpendicular to the path they'd been following, dipping down towards the canyon. There were a few shrubs growing from cracks in the walls, so she'd be screened even if something was flying overhead. Even so, she changed quickly. The mountains were _cold_ early in the morning, especially in shadow-filled clefts. 

If it hadn't been so dark, she might not have noticed the flash of light. As it was, she was crawling out of her shirt as rapidly as she could, when a twinkle of something caught her eye. She looked down and realized that the Star was shining again, very faintly. She paused a moment, lifting it up for a better look. 

"That's funny," she said. "It wasn't doing that back in the cave." 

There wasn't time to worry about that now, though. She finished changing quickly and hurried back up the slope. 

By the time she arrived, she found that the rest of her friends had likewise changed into fresh clothes, and they were working on some semblance of breakfast. There wasn't much, and what there was was a bit cold and dry, but they were hungry enough to be grateful for it anyway. 

"Hi, Izumi!" Junpei greeted her. "Want a roll?" 

"Not now," she said. "Guys, the Star is lit up again." 

"Really?" asked Kouji. "I don't see it." 

Izumi looked down. The pendant's light had gone out again. She frowned. 

"Well, it was glowing a minute ago," she said. "Just a little bit. Maybe we're out of range, up here." 

"Okay, so after breakfast we can go to wherever you were and have a look," said Takuya. "But breakfast comes first." 

"Oh, all right," she said. "But let's be quick about it." 

That was easily enough accomplished by a group of teenagers and young Digimon who had put in a hard day's hike the evening before. When they had finished and cleaned up, Izumi led them along the trail to the crevice she'd sheltered in earlier. The group stood at its entrance and eyed it - some curiously, some with a bit more doubt. 

"Does anyone but me see a problem with this?" asked Kouji, frowning. 

"It looks fine to me," said Neemon. He picked up a pebble and tossed it into the crack, watching as it bounced off the walls and clattered down the hill into darkness. 

"It's perfectly safe," Izumi said impatiently. "I was down there just a few minutes ago and I didn't see anything scarier than a couple of mud puddles." 

"That's not what I mean," said Kouji. "What I mean is, the trail we're following goes _that_ way..." He pointed up the trail. "...and this path here is angling back almost in the opposite direction. If we follow it, we're liable to end up back where we started from." 

Takuya rolled his eyes. "So? The point isn't that we're trying to _go_ somewhere. The point is that we're trying to find the Fabled Artifacts. If we have to backtrack to do it, who cares?" 

"You won't see me complaining," Bokomon muttered. "I'd be perfectly happy to go back, but nobody ever listens to me..." 

"_I_ care," said Kouji, who hadn't been listening. "I care because we've already _been_ back there, and the Star never reacted. Why is it glowing now?" 

"It's not," said Kouichi. 

Izumi glanced down at her necklace. There was no light from it at all; it remained simply a lovely but ordinary piece of jewelry. She scowled. 

"I'm telling you, it _was_ shining," she said. 

"Maybe it was just reflecting sunlight or something?" Kouichi offered. 

Izumi gave him a withering glare. "_What_ sunlight?" 

"It is pretty dark down there," said Tomoki, shading his eyes and peering down into the crack. "Hey, I know! Maybe we can't see it shining from up here because it's too bright. Maybe you can only see it in the dark." 

"It's possible," said Junpei. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to go down there and check. You think?" 

Kouji seemed to feel he was outvoted. "All right, all right. We'll take a look." 

The group trekked down the cleft, one after the other, with Izumi marching proudly in the lead and Kouji trailing along behind, looking thoughtful. The divide was so narrow that they had to walk in single file, and sometimes even then the quarters were a bit tight, forcing them to edge along sideways. The trail took a partial bend about thirty yards beyond the main path, and then began sloping steeply downward. Progress slowed to a crawl as the group tried to make it down the incline without bumping into each other or tripping over Bokomon and Neemon and sending the whole row of them toppling like a set of dominoes. Kouji in particular had a difficult time managing the Staff in the tight quarters; there didn't seem to be any angle he could hold it that it wasn't constantly bumping into someone or something. 

"I'm starting to regret agreeing to this," he muttered. 

"You think you've got problems?" answered Junpei irritably. Being rather wider than the others, he was having the most difficulty getting through the narrow spots. 

"We're almost there," Izumi called from up ahead. Her voice echoed slightly in the narrow cavern. "Just a little further..." 

At last, the trail leveled off and ended next to what appeared to be a dry stream bed, full of water-polished stones and a few mountain plants, and even a skinny sapling or two. It opened up enough that they could finally move with a bit of freedom, and they happily escaped into the open space. Izumi stood off to one side and took out her necklace. It glittered softly in the gloom, seeming to reflect a light that wasn't there to reflect. 

"See?" she said smugly. "I _told_ you it was shining!" 

Kouji stared at it with an expression of confoundment. 

"But... it makes no sense," he protested. "We just _came_ from this direction! Why didn't it react before?" 

"Who knows? Who cares?" said Takuya. "It's reacting now, isn't it? Good thing you caught it, Izumi. Otherwise we would have walked right past it." 

Izumi preened. "That's why _I'm_ carrying the Star of Guidance." 

"Yes, yes, feel free to congratulate yourself," said Bokomon. "I suppose as long as we're down here, we might as well have a look around... though I can't imagine how a Fabled Artifact could get way down here..." 

"Maybe somebody dropped it?" Tomoki suggested, looking thoughtfully upwards. The sky was nothing more than a ribbon of pale gray, seemingly miles above their heads. 

"If they dropped it from way up there, it's in a million pieces by now," said Takuya. 

"If it was in a million pieces, the Star wouldn't be telling us to look for it," Junpei answered, stubbornly determined to stick up for Izumi. "Let's look around anyway. It's better than hiking back through that crack in the ground again." He rubbed at his arm, which was slightly scraped from his trying to squeeze through a tight space. 

Neemon was ignoring the conversation. He had discovered that the dry streambed was full of rounded stones, piled precariously on top of each other, and that he could stand on them and wobble back and forth as if he was riding a miniature seesaw. 

"Whee!" he said, as he rocked to and fro on a smooth slab of rock. "This is fun!" 

"Glad to see someone is happy down here," said Kouji. He picked up a rock and studied it thoughtfully. "Though you know, now that I think about it... there must have been running water here, once. Lots of it, by the look of it. Something could have been washed downstream and ended up here, a long time ago... it could even have been swept down here by these rainstorms we've been having. Maybe whatever we're looking for wasn't here yesterday... but it is now." 

"Well, if that's the case, all we have to do to find it is to follow the streambed downhill," said Kouichi. "If it's here, we should find it." 

"Unless it got washed under a rock or something," said Izumi. 

"Then we'll just have to leave no stone unturned!" Takuya replied, grinning and looking around for appreciation of his joke. Kouji tossed the rock he'd been holding at him, and it bounced off his shoulder. "Ow! Hey, it wasn't _that_ bad!" 

Having more or less come to a consensus, the group began making their way downhill - or perhaps, downstream. There was still evidence that this waterway was full at least some of the time; there were large puddles here and there, some with bits of water-weed growing in them. In one particularly deep patch of water, Tomoki found tiny fish swimming around. Navigating around these watery pitfalls was sometimes difficult, as they often filled the entire length of the ravine, and the rounded stepping stones were unreliable. More than one person wound up with various parts of their bodies dripping wet as they fell off a slippery rock and fell down with a splash. Even when the going was dry, they had to step carefully to avoid turning an ankle on the uneven and unreliable ground. 

They had been traveling for somewhat less than an hour before they came to what appeared to be less a puddle than a shallow pond. The water was about six inches deep, just enough that no one could have walked through it without getting their shoes and socks thoroughly soaked, and it was furthermore covered with green pond scum. Bokomon tentatively put his foot into the water and found that its bottom was full of slimy mud that squished unpleasantly, like quicksand. He hastily pulled his foot out and began trying to scrub the scum from between his toes. 

"Do we have to go through that?" asked Neemon, eyeing it apprehensively. "It looks icky." 

"If we want to get across," said Takuya with a shrug. "There are rocks. It won't be too bad." He hopped onto the nearest one, and then bounded to the next. "See? It's not so bad." He made a few more jumps, winding up on a large slab near the far side, took a huge leap, and landed safely on the other side. "See? Nothing to it!" 

Kouji stepped forward to make the attempt - he could seldom see Takuya showing off without feeling the need to prove he could do whatever it was just as well. He crossed the water in a series of easy bounds. Kouichi followed him a bit more tentatively, but again had no problems. He was followed by the rest of the group, one at a time. Other than Tomoki not quite making the final jump and getting his socks splashed, the trip was made without mishap. At last, only Neemon was left on the wrong side. He pranced in place, staring worriedly at the broad, still water. 

"Come _on!_" Bokomon ordered him. "It's only water!" 

"I'm scared I'll fall in!" Neemon wailed. 

"You aren't going to fall in," said Bokomon. "Just get moving already, or I'll come back and _drag_ you across." 

"I'll fall in," said Neemon, pouting. "And then I'll get mud in my pants." 

Bokomon rolled his eyes. "Just get going!" 

Taking a deep breath, Neemon steeled himself and began picking his way across. He stepped carefully out onto the first rock, stretching his legs as far as they'd go. Then he jumped to the next rock, wobbling a bit as his balance faltered. The next few jumps were done in a similar fashion. Finally he reached the large stone and sat down to catch his breath. 

"Come on, Neemon!" Takuya encouraged. "Just a little bit further!" 

Neemon stood up. There was a strange noise, like something grating. The ground shivered. 

"What was that?" asked Kouji. 

The noise came again, louder. The surface of the pond trembled. 

"I'm gonna fall in!" Neemon wailed. 

As it turned out, for one of the few times in his life, he was right. No sooner had he spoken, when the ground below him caved in, and he fell. So did the rock he was sitting on, the pond, the plants, and just about everything else in the general vicinity. There was a crash and a great, muddy _splat._ Where the pond had been, there was now just a dark, dripping hole. Bokomon gave a yelp and hurried to the edge of the crevice. 

"Neemon?" he called. "Are you down there?" 

"I told you I was gonna fall," said Neemon. 

The group moved carefully to join Bokomon beside the hole. The sun was high enough overhead that it managed to shed a few rays into the cavity, allowing them a dim view of what was inside. Neemon was lying prone on a heap of rubble, looking wet and muddy but otherwise unharmed. Beyond him, they could see what appeared to be a hallway. In fact, it was almost certainly a hallway. It had pink carpeting on it, and there were pictures hanging on the walls. Everyone stared. 

"How'd that get down there?" said Junpei. 

"Someone put it there, obviously," Kouichi replied. "But I know what you mean. It's not exactly what I would have expected to find way out here." 

"Why not?" asked Takuya. "We've seen weirder stuff before." 

"I think we're going to get a closer look at this than we want to," said Kouji. "We're not going to be able to fish Neemon out from up here... and we can't leave him behind." 

"Guess we're going down, then," said Takuya. 

Before anyone could stop him, he'd jumped down into the hole. He landed feet down in a pile of mud, slipped, and fell on his rear, landing in a pile of rubble. He got up and dusted himself off. 

"Come on down," he said. "It's not so bad." 

Without much choice, the others followed suit. Soon they were all standing on the soggy carpet, taking in their surroundings. Now they could see that they were, in fact, standing in what seemed to be a network of tunnels. The hallway didn't go straight, as one would have expected, but curved around like the tracks of a worm, with offshoots going in other directions at irregular intervals, sometimes slanting up or down. Though the floor was smooth and level, the walls were curved and the ceiling arched. Other than that, it looked like anyone's hallway in a nice middle-class house. 

"What a weird place," said Izumi. 

"I don't like it," Junpei complained. "Tunnels make me claustrophobic." 

"Kinda looks like the sort of place a Trailmon would live in his off-hours," said Takuya. "Too small, though. Do they make baby Trailmon?" 

"Who knows?" said Kouji vaguely. He was eyeing the tunnels with distrust. "We have more important things to worry about. Like, the fact that now that we're down here, we don't know how to get out again. Like, it's pitch black down there and we don't have any light." 

"It's not _that_ bad," his brother said consolingly. "Sure, it's a little dim, but we should be able to find our way around..." 

"A little dim?" Izumi repeated. She stared down the tunnel. Ten feet beyond the hole above their heads, the hallways faded into utter blackness. "A _little_ dim? You have a gift for understatement, Kouichi." 

Kouichi looked at her with a puzzled expression. "You mean you can't see down there? I can see just fine." 

"Then you've got eyes like a cat," said Junpei. "It's black as the bottom of a mine down there, which is probably more or less what it is." 

"Wait a minute," said Tomoki. "Maybe it's not his eyes at all. It's just... him." 

"Oh, yeah!" said Kouji, suddenly brightening. "That's what it is. Kouichi, you can see in the dark. Just like Junpei and Izumi know when a storm is coming, or how Takuya knew when FlaWizarmon was coming." 

"Well, if it will help us get out of here, I'm all for it," said Kouichi modestly. "Does anyone have any idea which way to go?" 

"Let me check," said Izumi, taking out the Star of Guidance. She spun in a small circle, watching the light flare and fade. She centered on the direction in which the light was brightest. It roughly indicated that they ought to be continuing in the direction they'd been coming from, heading roughly downwards, and slightly to the right. 

"Looks like we're going to have to make a turn somewhere along the way," Takuya commented. "Oh, well. There's probably a fork in the road further ahead." 

"There are always lots of twists and turns in places like this," said Tomoki, peering down the dark tunnel. "We'll have to put Kouichi and Izumi in front. He can show us where the tunnels are, and Izumi can tell us which one to pick." 

The plan was agreed to, and they began arranging themselves for the journey. It was necessary for Izumi and Kouichi to stand near the front. He could see everyone fine, even in the pitch blackness, but everyone else was obliged to hold hands to keep from getting lost, and there was a little confusion about who ought to be holding on to who. Kouji, of course, had to keep one hand on the Staff of Order, so he was obliged to be last in line. Takuya stubbornly refused to hold hands with Kouji for any reason and ended up with Tomoki standing between them. This incidentally left Junpei as the only one with any free hands, but Izumi solved the problem before it could become one by pointing out that someone was going to have to hold on to Bokomon and Neemon so that they wouldn't be tripped over or lost in the dark. Junpei consented to taking on the chore once she'd flattered him sufficiently, and he made the trip with a Digimon tucked in each arm, while Takuya clung to one of his sleeves and Izumi to the other. With this arrangement in effect, they set out. 

Kouji, as rearguard, kept half an eye on the hole they had fallen through. From where he stood, he could see the entrance as a pillar of white light falling from some invisible place high above their heads, spilling over the pile of rubble as if it were some kind of holy relic. Something about the sight caused a stirring somewhere deep inside. 

_I'm supposed to be the Warrior of Light. Takuya and Junpei transformed already - we all ought to be able to do it. I feel like I should be able to. There's something in me that _wants_ to. Why couldn't I when I tried? Is there something wrong with me?_

Then the group rounded a corner, cutting off the view of the light, and Kouji was pulled down into complete darkness. 

The mole foreman looked over his maps, his whiskers twitching rapidly as he thought. 

"Any of you blokes been down the upper-north-east passage lately?" he called out. 

Several other Drimogemon, as well as their cousins the NiseDrimogemon, looked up from what they were doing. Several of them had been in the process of honing digging tools, while others were sorting through piles of rocks or polishing stones. 

"Can't say as I have," one of them drawled. 

"I have," said one of the Nise Drimogemon. "The ceiling's been leaking for weeks. I keep saying we ought to shore it up, but nobody listens to me..." 

"'Nuff of that," said the foreman. "We've been having some heavy rain lately. I'm thinking we oughta have someone up there take a look about and make sure nothing's caved in. Be just our luck if something caved in and ruined the carpets and all." 

"Righto," said a Drimogemon. "I'll take a gander at it. Got nothing better to do." 

He turned away from the table where he'd been carefully weighing ores and began trundling away on his heavy paws. 

If he had wanted to, he could have turned on some lights, but it was hardly necessary for a mole. It was only in the large rooms where they worked their stones that there was any light at all, the better to check for color and clarity. When it came to just navigating tunnels, unless there was some guest who needed to be impressed, the Drimogemon were inclined to crawl around in the dark, relying on their sensitive whiskers and their excellent memory for underground passages to help them get around. This particular Drimogemon was from the very crew who had built that particular tunnel, and he could find it as easily as he could find his own left foot. Now he made his way through the winding passages at a steady trundling gait. 

He was still a good distance away when he realized something was wrong. He felt it in his whiskers - the air was moving around him ever-so-slightly. A human wouldn't have noticed a thing, but he did, and frowned. Then the smell reached him, a faint smell of mud and plants and freshly-disturbed earth. This particular Drimogemon was not often given to panic, but now he felt a stab of worry and picked up his pace. He rounded a corner and was nearly blinded as his sensitive eyes were assaulted by an unexpected beam of light. He blinked, sizing up the situation - and also sizing up the hole in the roof, which was nearly as big as he was. Horrors! This would take weeks to fix, not counting the trouble it would take to refurbish the carpets. The Drimogemon scowled as he began snuffling around the ruins, trying to see how much of the building materials could be salvaged. 

Then he made a discovery. There were footprints in the mud - many footprints. Some were quite small, such as a young Digimon might leave, but others were much larger, and they smelled like nothing the Drimogemon worker had ever smelled. His life experience was fairly limited, and the range of smells he was used to included little more than other Drimogemon, assorted rock and dirt smells, machine oil, the tang of hot metal, the earthy scents of the roots and fungi he ate, and the occasional other Digimon who would come to bargain for the minerals and gems they mined. This was not any of those smells, and it worried him. It could only mean one thing, in his mind: they were being invaded. This was more than he was prepared to deal with on his own. Snuffling worriedly and pawing at his whiskers, the worker mole scuffled back down the hallway. 

There was very little to see. At least, there was very little for most of the group to see. Kouichi was rather enjoying getting used to this new way of seeing. It occurred to him to wonder just how long he'd been able to do this - he couldn't remember ever being able to do it at home. Now, though, he could _sense_ that he was surrounded on all sides by shadows, but they didn't hinder his vision any. On the contrary, he felt that they were helping him, and that he was probably picking up details more clearly than he could have if the area had been lit. He couldn't have said what color anything was, but shapes and edges were so clearly defined he felt he could almost see _around_ things to view all their sides at once. It was slightly disorienting at first, but he soon grew accustomed to it, and even began to enjoy it. 

The others were not so lucky. To them, everything was pitch black. The only point of light was Izumi's Star, which was twinkling faintly in her hand, but it didn't offer enough light for them to see much more than the tips of Izumi's fingers. It certainly didn't do enough to protect them from tripping over the bits of decorative furniture, which were thankfully few and far between, and Kouichi did what he could to warn them. Nevertheless, in the utter darkness, their eyes were always drawn back to that one little spark of light, the only thing visible in their world... 

...which was why finding the mirror came as such a shock to their senses. They rounded a corner and there it was, illuminated by a pair of pale blue globes that glowed softly. Under ordinary circumstances, the lights would have hardly been considered bright, but finding them was such a shock that Kouichi reeled back suddenly as if he'd been struck, his hand clamped over his eyes. Kouji rushed to his side, momentarily afraid he'd been injured. 

"Sorry!" said Kouichi. "I'm okay, really. It just surprised me - like having a flashbulb go off in your face." 

The others, having adjusted to the new level of light, were taking a closer look at the mirror. Perhaps it was just a trick of the odd light, but it was hard to see anything reflected in its surface; it was simply a pane of dark glass with bluish highlights playing across its surface. It was oval in shape, about two feet tall and half that across. The frame was made of silvery metal in a pattern of lily-pads and lotus flowers, with tiny gems sparkling on their petals like drops of dew. 

"_Que bella..._" said Izumi softly, running her fingers over the metalwork. 

"I wonder what's so special about this mirror?" asked Tomoki of no one in particular. "The lights are here to light it up. There's nothing else here." 

Takuya shrugged. "Maybe it's a magic mirror," he said sarcastically. 

"Oh, cool!" said Junpei. "I always wanted to see one of those. Let me see!" 

He released his hold on Bokomon and Neemon so he could push forward for a better look. Standing in front of the mirror, he struck a silly pose and chanted, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" 

Then he jumped, because the mirror suddenly started to glow. Leaning closer, they could now see that images were flashing across its surface. The group found themselves looking out at a dark train station crowded with children. One of them was a girl with long golden hair who wandered through the crowd, looking slightly bewildered. She seemed to make up her mind and made her way toward a train that had an awfully familiar look about it... Suddenly the picture shifted, and Fairymon flittered across their field of vision before turning into Shuutmon. Then that image faded, showing a glimpse of Izumi as she was in the present day. She was standing on a bridge, looking out at the water. She turned and smiled, and then that picture faded, too. It was replaced by a blurry but recognizable image of a young woman in a long white dress, holding a bouquet. Then that too, disappeared, leaving only the blank glass. Everyone stared. 

"What was that all about?" asked Kouji after a moment. 

"I'd think it was obvious," said Bokomon. "Junpei asked the mirror a question, and it answered as best it could." 

"That's nuts," said Takuya. "Izumi can't be the prettiest girl in the world, can she?" He intercepted a sharp glare from the girl in question and winced. "Oh, come on, you know what I mean!" 

"Why not?" asked Bokomon calmly. 

Takuya blushed. "Well... because! I mean, Izumi's cute and all, but..." 

"I'm starting to wish I'd left this mirror alone," Junpei muttered, blushing furiously. 

"You're missing the point," said Bokomon to Takuya. "In matters of opinion, the truth is in the eye of the beholder. Izumi _is_ the most beautiful girl in the world - to Junpei. If any of us asked the mirror the same question, we'd get a totally different answer that's equally true." As if to support him, the mirror briefly flashed a picture of Ophanimon before fading again. "See what I mean?" 

"I guess so," said Takuya. He glanced warily at the mirror, but all it showed was his reflection. "I'm not going to try it, though." 

"I guess that explains the lights," said Kouichi. He was still eyeing them skeptically, wincing and blinking as if staring into strong sunlight. "Can we move on? These weird lights are making me edgy. They're not natural, and it's... uncomfortable." 

"Right," said Kouji. "This is interesting, but not very useful. Not unless it can show us the way out of here." 

The others agreed and moved on. Junpei seemed rather relieved to be getting away from this thing that seemed to know so much about what was going on inside his head. Kouji was eager to move away from whatever it was that was causing his brother such distress. Takuya appeared to have been bored by the whole thing. The others, though, cast backward glances as they left it behind, feeling rather sorry to have left the lights and the beautiful mirror behind. Tomoki stared at it the longest - not just because he regretted having to return to the shadows. It was because he was trying to figure something out. Tomoki was good at figuring things out, and he would figure this one out, too... 

...Just not necessarily in time. 

Somewhere on the gray slopes of the mountains was a red shape. It was Witchmon, of course. She'd been attempting to follow the human warriors, but the storm had blown her off-course. Now she was wandering aimlessly, using her broom as a walking stick as she picked her way through the rocky trails. 

"Hello!" she called. "Is anybody out there?" 

Her voice echoed mournfully through the hillsides. She sighed. 

"That's what I thought." 

The worker Drimogemon lumbered into the workroom at a pace that would be considered surprisingly fast, for a mole. The others looked up, twitching their whiskers in puzzlement. 

"Oy! What's the hurry, mate?" someone shouted. 

"We've got trouble," the worker replied. "Someone's gone and busted a hole right through the roof of the upper-north-east passage!" 

"Are you quite certain it didn't just fall in on its own?" asked one of the NiseDrimogemon. 

"No. Yes! I mean, no it didn't fall in on its own. I'm sure it didn't," the Drimogemon said. "There are footprints everywhere - strange ones, and they smell like nothing I've ever smelled before. I'm telling you guys, we have trouble!" 

"Well, let's send a crew up to have a look," said the foreman. He put out one paw to point out several of his fellows. "You, you, you, and you. Oh, and some of you. Follow this guy upstairs and check out the damages. See if you can find any intruders. If you can catch them, bring them back here. We'll figure out what to do with them after that." 

"We won't let them get away!" said one of the workers. "Come on, let's go!" 

"Right! This way!" 

Following the lead of the worker mole, the group moved out with malice on their minds. Intruders would not be permitted to break into their home and get away with it! 

Meanwhile, the group of human warriors was getting slightly upset themselves. 

"I'm sorry!" Izumi protested friends. "I don't know which way to go anymore!" 

"Isn't that necklace of yours supposed to tell you?" asked Takuya. 

Izumi scowled, invisible in the darkness. The group was standing at the juncture of several passages, which angled not only to the sides, but slanted up or down or twisted away like corkscrews. The Star had been guiding them fairly reliably for a while, but now it didn't seem to want to lead them down any of the corridors. 

"It's supposed to, but it's not!" she answered. She held the Star up as proof. It was barely even shimmering anymore; if the tunnels hadn't been pitch black, they couldn't have seen it at all. 

"Something is wrong," Kouji muttered. "I knew we were making a mistake, doubling back. Now we're trapped _and_ lost, and we still don't know where the next Fabled Artifact is." 

"Maybe..." said Tomoki, "maybe we do." 

"What do you mean?" asked Bokomon. 

"The mirror," he said simply. "I've been thinking about it. Did you get a good look at the frame? It was all done up in water lilies and things... like someone was trying to make it look like a pond. The pattern was just like what's on Izumi's necklace." 

There was a thoughtful silence. Izumi picked up the necklace and stared at it. Once again, she moved in a slow circle, passing by each of the corridors in turn. It glowed most brightly when she was facing back in the direction they had come from. 

"Well, that explains a lot," said Junpei to nobody in particular. 

"It does?" asked Neemon. "I must have missed it." 

"Me too," Kouji said. "Fill us in." 

"It's easy," said Junpei. "That's why we couldn't see the Star shining earlier, and we had to backtrack. The thing we were looking for was underground, so it shone brighter when Izumi went further down the canyon." 

"Oh," said Kouji. 

"So you're saying you think that mirror is... what?" asked Takuya. 

"The Pool of Knowledge," said Tomoki. "It has to be." 

"I was kind of thinking the Pool of Knowledge would involve water somewhere," said Takuya. "You know, like in Bokomon's story." 

"Of course not," said Bokomon. "I keep telling you people, the names are _figurative_... well, some of them are. We could hardly expect you to carry a puddle home in your pocket, could we? And a pond wouldn't be an artifact." 

"But a mirror that looks like a pond is," said Tomoki. "We'll just have to go back and get it." 

"More backtracking," said Kouichi, making a face. "Well, if we must, we must!" 

"No point in coming down here, otherwise," said Takuya with a shrug. "Let's get rolling. Maybe that mirror thing can show us the way out!" 

With a collective sigh of resignation, the group began making their way back through the tunnels. Only Tomoki, with his inquisitive mindset, seemed really eager to go back and have another look at the mirror, to see if his guess was true. He kept trying to tug Kouji along more quickly and bumping into the others in the dark. 

"Are we there yet?" he asked eagerly. 

"Close," said Izumi, peering at the star. She was getting the feeling it was almost relieved that she had finally started reading its signals properly. It was flashing so brightly now that it was almost enough to see by. Kouichi was steadfastly not looking at it; the brightness was starting to throw off his sixth sense. "Just a little further, I think." 

"I hope we get there soon," said Kouichi. He sounded slightly tense. "I'm starting to get the feeling that something's not quite right... Bokomon, what kind of Digimon live underground?" 

"Oh, different things," said Bokomon, waving a hand vaguely and narrowly missing smacking Neemon in the face. "Underground types, you know. Assorted members of the Ogremon clan will live in tunnels, as will various mineral Digimon like Rockmon and Gotsumon... Oh, and Drimogemon, of course." 

"I don't think I've seen any Digimon like that before," said Tomoki. "What are they?" 

"Well... they have four legs and short fur and drills on their noses, and they dig," he answered. "Generally they stay underground and mine for stones and metals. They're protective of their lairs, but reasonable enough if you reach them through the correct channels." 

"What are the correct channels?" asked Kouji. "Would they, for example, get very annoyed if people dropped into their warren without warning?" 

"Hmm," said Bokomon. "Yes, I suppose they would consider it an affront. They are a bit paranoid, you understand, about people coming to steal their treasures." 

"Such as magic mirrors?" asked Kouichi in a resigned tone. 

Bokomon laughed. "Oh, don't be silly. We have no reason to believe this tunnel belongs to..." 

He trailed off. In the distance, there was the unmistakable sound of shuffling feet. Many, many shuffling feet. 

"Would you like some proof?" said Takuya. 

Kouichi looked around, rapidly sizing up the situation. The group was in a rather broad hallway, wide enough that the six of them could walk side by side if they didn't mind bumping into each other a bit. Unfortunately, there were no other passages visible even to his sensitive vision. The tunnel ran straight as a ruler for as far as he could see. 

"Not much chance of us escaping," he said. "We're either going to have to smooth this over somehow, or stand and fight." 

"Maybe they'll be reasonable?" Junpei suggested. 

The Drimogemon lumbered around a corner and caught sight of the human intruders. 

"There they are!" one of them shouted. "Catch them, before they get away!" 

"Hey, take it easy!" said Takuya placatingly. "We weren't trying to cause any trouble! We just got lost..." 

"You shouldn't be here," said a voice in the darkness. It sounded like a large voice, and it made the children uneasy to be talking to something that most of them couldn't see. "How did you get in?" 

"We fell," said Kouji tersely. "We'd be more than happy to leave if we could just figure out where you put the door." 

Kouichi glanced at his brother in concern. He could see Kouji struggling with the Staff he carried, which was vibrating in his hand like a plucked string. Kouji was actually sweating slightly as he wrestled to control it. 

"Well, you're going to have to come back to the boss with us," said one of the deep voices. Izumi gave a yelp and jumped backwards - she couldn't see the thing, but she felt the air in the tunnel shift as the massive creature lumbered towards her. 

"Can't you make an exception?" asked Takuya. "Honest, we didn't mean to upset you guys or anything. Besides, we're here on a mission from the Great Angels. You wouldn't want to mess with them, would you? They'd be kinda ticked if you did anything to us." 

"I'd be willing to vouch for them," Bokomon piped up. "I am one of Lord Cherubimon's most trusted servants, and my word is very trustworthy." 

"Well, maybe," said the Drimogemon doubtfully. It pawed its whiskers in thought, making a rustling noise. "Sounds like we can probably get the whole mess cleared up if you'd just let us escort you back to the foreman and explain..." 

"Let go of me, you stupid thing!" 

The conversation was interrupted by Kouji, who was still struggling with the Staff. It was actually jerking around in his hands, independent of his control. Things were supposed to obey _it_, and the idea of its carrier meekly submitting to being brought before anyone and questioned was apparently more than it could handle. Kouji was having trouble restraining himself from ordering the Drimogemon to go away and leave them all alone. He gritted his teeth, muscles straining, as he tried to wrestle it down. Suddenly it gave a powerful _swish_, lashing out in a wide arc. It didn't strike anyone, but several Drimogemon reeled backwards anyway as if they'd been slapped by a massive invisible hand. 

"Wha' happened?" said one of the others. 

"I don't know - something hit me!" 

Takuya glared in Kouji's general direction. "What did you do that for?" 

"I didn't!" Kouji complained. "This idiotic stick did it to me! I'm losing control of it! Argh!" 

He jerked it away again, but by luck or by some impulse of the Staff itself, it struck a wall and rebounded, swishing past the milling Drimogemon and causing a few more to reel away. 

"It's an attack!" wailed one of the worker moles, completely losing its head. "We're under attack!" 

"Great, now you've done it!" said Takuya. 

There was momentary chaos. The Drimogemon, already made slightly edgy by the idea of intruders in their warren, were now stung into attacking, and the children had no choice but to make a run for it as best they could. Kouji attempted to stand his ground, torn between his resolution not to use the Staff's power and a desperate desire to defend his friends if he could. He freed his hand from Tomoki's and used it to attempt to steady the Staff a bit. Kouichi saw him, even if the others did, and went to stand by his side. 

"Come on," he said. "This is no time to be playing the hero! Let Takuya and Junpei handle this one." 

"And what if we lose them again? Then what?" Kouji demanded. "At least I can kind of control this thing. I just have to... put my mind to it." He was panting a bit with the effort as he tried to hold it back. 

Kouichi hesitated. The Drimogemon were milling around a few yards away, uncertain whether or not it was safe to confront this strange force they were feeling. However, any minute, they might decide to start moving forwards again, and there was no doubt in Kouichi's mind that the frightened animals were likely to attack. 

_If only I could evolve..._ The thought was inevitable. In the midst of the flames, Takuya had evolved to Flamon. When Junpei was struck by lightning, he turned into Mushimon. Why shouldn't Kouichi evolve? He was as surrounded by darkness as he should ever hope to be. Now if ever, he ought to be able to transform. He closed his eyes, groping for the power he knew had to be there somewhere. It was stirring deep inside him, waiting for him to find just the right outlet, just the right trigger that would draw it forth. It was so close - he almost had it... 

"Got it!" said Kouji, jerking the Staff out of its attack position. It settled into place at his side with a final resentful tremor and lay still. 

"I almost had it!" Kouichi complained. 

"Had what?" his brother asked, perplexed. 

"Never mind now! Let's get out of here!" 

They moved - almost too late, as a whirring drill swished past the place they'd been standing. The boys forgot about anything but running as fast as they could down the dark hallways, trying not to crash into anything. Fortunately, the hallway was straight, and Kouji was able to manage by holding on to his brother's hand and allowing himself to be led along. Near the end of the hall, they ran into the others - almost literally, and it took a moment for them to get themselves sorted out. 

"Quick, this way!" Kouichi ordered. "Follow my voice!" 

He led the rest of the group down a branching tunnel, which wound up leading to a spiral staircase leading downward. He didn't know it, but it was the best choice he could have made. The staircase had been put in to accommodate visiting clients who wanted to reach the storerooms on the next floor without following the long, winding route the mole workers used. It hadn't been built for the Drimogemon themselves to easily navigate - tn fact, they had hired several Gotsumon to put it in for them, and most full-grown Drimogemon couldn't get down it all. The moles gathered around it, whuffling and growling as they listened to their quarry escaping. 

"You won't get away that easily!" said the leader of the workers. "They can't get far. Come on - we'll head them off on the next level." 

They crawled off, heading for the ramps that would eventually take them down to the lower floor where the children were just now catching their breaths. The children sat in silence, listening as they crawled off. 

"Right," said Takuya. "Guess we can take a little breather." 

"Just a little one," Kouji said. "Those Drimogemon will track us down, sooner or later. We're in their home, and they know their way around better than we do. We've got to think of a way to get out of here, and fast." 

"Guess we can forget about getting the mirror, now," said Junpei. 

"At least we know where it is," Izumi said. "We can let the Angels know, and they can send somebody back to get it later." 

"Yeah, guess so," Takuya sighed. "Darn! This is stupid. We shouldn't be being attacked by a bunch of stupid moles for doing our job! Doesn't look like they're going to let us explain ourselves now, though. Sorry, Tomoki. I know you were looking forward to getting that mirror." 

He waited for Tomoki to express some opinion on the matter, but Tomoki was suspiciously quiet. 

"Um," said Takuya. "Tomoki? Eh... Kouichi, where's Tomoki?" 

"I... I don't see him," said Kouichi slowly. 

"Oh, no," Takuya groaned. He beat his head against the wall. "We went and lost him!" 

"Weren't you supposed to be holding on to him?" asked Bokomon. 

"I thought Kouji had him!" 

"I let go," Kouji admitted. Defensively, he said, "I needed both hands to keep that stupid Staff under control." He whacked the Staff against the wall, and it rebounded with a wooden _clack_ and narrowly missed knocking Neemon off his feet. 

"Could the Drimogemon have gotten him?" asked Izumi hesitantly. 

"No," said Kouji. "We'd have heard them if they had. He's gone off somewhere else... Maybe he took the wrong passage and didn't make it down here." 

"He didn't take the wrong passage," said Takuya. There was something odd in his voice, a certain and fatalistic tone they seldom heard him use. "He knew exactly where he was going?" 

"How do you know?" asked Bokomon, a trifle annoyed. "You aren't developing any more clairvoyant powers, are you?" 

"I don't have to be clairvoyant to guess where he's gone," said Takuya. "Tomoki's practically my brother. I guess I know him better than anyone else in the world. I know how he thinks. When we ran away, he didn't. He ran straight _past_ the Drimogemon... He's gone looking for the mirror." 

Tomoki was lost and confused. They were two separate conditions, quite independent of each other, and at the moment he wasn't too pleased with either of them. Being lost was understandable - he didn't have the equipment or the special powers to navigate underground without help from one of the others, so he was reduced to bumping around in the dark. Confused... that was something else again. It wasn't his location he was confused about, but the fact that he was lost and _alone_. 

_I thought they would come with me,_ he thought, feeling slightly hurt. _I didn't think all of them would run away... I was sure at least Takuya would keep fighting..._

He sighed. In retrospect, he supposed he'd been a bit more reckless than he should have. He'd just been so eager to get back to the mirror and see if he had been right, and so sure that his companions wouldn't give up when they were so close to the goal, that he'd never considered the possibility of a retreat. In the heavy darkness, it had been easy for one slender boy to dart through the feet of the slow-moving Drimogemon and sneak behind them without their ever realizing he was there. He'd reasoned that anything that spent that much time in darkness probably relied on other senses besides sight to navigate, and that they probably wouldn't see him in the pitch darkness even if he passed quite close by them. He'd been right, too. It was probably the best way to deal with them - to move quickly and quietly in a direction they would not expect, retracing his own steps so that they couldn't follow him by scent. If the rest of the team had followed Tomoki's example, they could have vanished without a trace. Unfortunately, no one had had the time to think through that particular course of action. 

So now Tomoki was lost. He stopped walking and leaned against a wall, trying to think of some logical way out of the mess he'd gotten himself into. It was very quiet, now - the Drimogemon seemed to have gone elsewhere, so it was probably safe to take a moment and try to figure out what he was supposed to do next. Well, what _could_ he do? He couldn't see in the dark, and even if he could, it wouldn't help him. His parents had told him that whenever he was lost, he should stay put so that whoever was looking for him could find him... but what good would that do now? The tunnels were massive, and his friends would hardly know which way to begin looking for him. It was possible that even Izumi's Star of Guidance wouldn't pinpoint his location. If what Bokomon said was right, it was choosy about the things it would guide its bearer to. 

Hoping for some inspiration, Tomoki sat down and opened up his pack. It was by necessity not very large, and he'd packed only the things he thought he would be likely to need, but perhaps there was something useful there all the same. He rummaged through it in the dark, mentally identifying the things he encountered. 

"I wish I'd remembered to bring a flashlight," he muttered. 

He stirred through the pack, finding and discarding items. Clean clothes, a canteen of water, some leftover food, a compass, pair of binoculars, toothbrush... and then his hand closed on something tough and fibrous. Rope! He'd found it in his father's closet while he'd been searching for camping supplies, and had decided that a few feet of rope could have their uses in the wilderness. Maybe now it would help him with his current problem. 

Feeling around in the dark, he encountered a sconce set partway up the wall, presumably to light the area for more welcome visitors. It was dark and cold now, and Tomoki had no way of lighting it. Instead, he fumbled around and finally managed to make a knot in his rope and loop it to the sconce. He tugged it a few times to make sure it would hold firmly. Now he could explore a little without having to fear he'd get too lost. He knew he and his friends had covered most of the distance back to the mirror before they'd been intercepted. If he could find it, perhaps he could use its magic to show him the way out. If he couldn't find it before he reached the end of his rope, he could come back and unbraid the rope and join all the lengths, tripling its range, and start again. With his plan fixed firmly in mind, he felt his way toward a tunnel and began his exploration. 

Meanwhile, somewhere above his head, someone else was equally lost, and she was beginning to lose her temper. Witchmon sat on a rock with her chin in her hands, sulking. She had no idea where she was, she hadn't seen any sign of the Chosen Children in hours, and it was chilly up in these mountains. She'd had it with this place, and if she'd known which way to go, she would have flown straight back home. Of course, once she got there, she would probably get a punishment from Lilithmon that would make her wish she was back in the mountains again, but foresight wasn't one of Witchmon's great virtues. 

"I can't just sit here and do nothing," she told herself. "Maybe... a finding spell? Not that I've ever been able to get one to work, but maybe if I tried really, really hard..." 

Seizing on what little optimism she had, she began to prepare some working space. A patch of clear and relatively flat ground was found and swept free of stones (brooms had their uses besides flying). Then she seized on a sharp stone and began marking patterns and signs into the muddy earth. When they were done, she stood back and looked over them thoughtfully, then nodded. She dropped the pointed stone in the middle of it all, so that it lay there like the pointer in the center of the compass. Spreading her hands over her drawing, she began to chant softly. The mystic symbols began to glow with a soft golden light. Hardly able to believe her eyes, she completed the final couplet and watched eagerly. Much to her delight, the pointer began to move. It swung in a small circle, then back again, searching. Then it stood up on its nose and began trying to burrow into the ground. Witchmon scowled. 

"Stupid!" she wailed. "I knew it wouldn't work right! I knew it, I knew it! I can never do _anything_ right!" 

So angry was she that she pitched a bolt of magical energy at her workspace, intending to wipe out all traces of the spell and its disobedient pointer. She was more than a little surprised when a large ball of yellow energy struck the ground and made it explode with a hollow _boom_. Witchmon gaped in incomprehension at the deep hole she'd left in the terrain. 

"Oh my," she said. "Did I do that?" 

"Ouch!" said something in the hole. "Be careful! That hurt!" 

Witchmon walked over to the edge of the hole and peeped over the rim. Cat followed suit, his tail twitching as if he expected to find a mouse to pounce. Instead, they found a young human boy looking up at them, combing bits of mud and stone from his hair with his fingers. 

"Oh," said Witchmon. "I guess it worked, after all. You're one of those human kids, aren't you?" 

"That's me," said the boy. "I'm Tomoki... and you're Witchmon, right?" 

"Right," she said. "Um. What are you doing down there?" 

"I'm trying to find the rest of my friends," said Tomoki. "What are you doing up there?" 

"The same thing, I think." She leaned forward to get a better look, lost her balance, and tumbled into the tunnel. Cat gave a yowl and jumped in after her. She sat up woozily, rubbing her head. Tomoki leaned over her, looking worried. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"I think so," she answered. "I'm used to it." She sat up and dusted herself off. "Wow! I really found you! I've _never_ been able to get that spell to work! Do you have any idea how many years I've been practicing? And I put a hole right in the roof..." 

Despite knowing that she was supposed to be an enemy, Tomoki still couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. It reminded him a little of himself whenever he beat a video game or solved some new puzzle. 

"I really must be getting better at this magic stuff," Witchmon continued happily. "And I found you and everything! Wisemon will be really proud of me! Hey," she said, looking around in sudden confusion. "Where's everyone else?" 

Tomoki shrugged. "I don't know. I lost them." 

"You did?" asked Witchmon. "What did you want to go and do a thing like that for?" 

"I didn't do it on purpose," he said. "Hey, you can do magic. Maybe you can help me find them." 

"Why would I want to help you?" she asked sulkily. 

"Well, you're looking for them too, right?" 

"Yeah, but..." 

"So you've got to find them anyway," Tomoki continued, "and it would be really stupid to leave me behind while you were looking for them. And since _I_ want to find them, too, I might as well help you." 

"Oh," said Witchmon. She appeared to have had a hard time following that. "Well, I _guess_ that makes sense. Okay. Let's find them. Umm... do you know which way they might have gone?" 

"Not exactly," said Tomoki slowly. On the one hand, he wanted very much to get back to his friends, but he didn't want to leave without checking out the mirror, either. It might be safest to find that first, before he led his enemy straight to what she wanted to find. He pointed in the direction he was heading. "I think they went that way. That's why I'm going this way, too." 

"Oh! That makes sense." 

They began walking. To Tomoki's pleased surprise, Witchmon produced a handful of shimmering stones from somewhere in the folds of her gown. They gave off a green-gold light that reminded him of springtime, and lit the halls quite nicely. It was a great deal easier than bumping around in the dark. 

"It must be great, being able to do magic like that," said Tomoki. "Wish I could." 

"I almost can't," Witchmon admitted. "I'm doing good, today, though. I don't know why. Normally I'm hopeless. Maybe I'm finally starting to get better. That will make Wisemon happy. He's always telling me what a disappointment I am. I don't _mean_ to mess up. I just can't seem to do things. Even when I do them right they come out wrong..." 

"Who's Wisemon? Is he like your magic teacher or something?" 

Witchmon shook her head. "Not exactly. I mean, sometimes. But he's really my big brother." 

"I have a big brother," Tomoki offered. 

"It seems like everyone does," said Witchmon thoughtfully. "The last person I talked to - that Kouichi person - he said he had a brother." 

"Well, I have a big brother, and Kouji and Kouichi are twin brothers, and Takuya has a little brother," said Tomoki, "but Izumi and Junpei don't have any brothers or sisters or anything." He considered a little. "I don't know if Bokomon and Neemon have any brothers. They might _be_ brothers, for all I know. I don't think so, though." 

"Hm," said Witchmon. 

They journeyed onward in silence for a while. Tomoki came to the end of his piece of rope and considered a moment. Logically, he ought to turn back and investigate the final tunnel, the one he had yet to explore, but something was telling him he ought to go a little further. Maybe it was just having a companion of any sort that made him feel braver. He looked at the frayed end for a minute, then shrugged, dropped it, and took out a pencil instead. While Witchmon watched in vague bemusement, he scribbled a dark arrow on the wall. 

"What's that for?" she asked. 

"So we know which way we came from," Tomoki explained. "That way if we don't find anything, we know which way to go." 

"That's a good idea," said Witchmon, a little wistfully. "I wish I could think of smart things like that." 

"Sure you can," said Tomoki. "If there's one thing going to the Digital World has taught me, it's that you can do a lot more than you think you can, when you put your mind to it." 

"Maybe so," said Witchmon. "I've gotten a lot accomplished today! I caught you, and pretty soon I'm going to catch the rest of you." 

Tomoki grimaced a little. That wasn't the direction he'd wanted this conversation to go. With a sigh, he continued his journey in resigned silence. 

Far, far away, in the Continent of Darkness, Wisemon was crystal-gazing. He spent most of his time involved in that activity, and he was very, very good at it. With little more than an effort of will, he could gaze at things happening in distant lands and learn the thoughts of other Digimon... sometimes. Even the most skilled at his profession had their limits. It was easy to get images of things, but not necessarily easy to get the images you wanted, or interpret them once he got them. That was what his sister was for, and _she_ was easy enough to track down. He gave one of his crystals a casual glance, and it instantly lit with an image of Witchmon strolling through a corridor. Wisemon gazed at it a moment. His eyes narrowed. Then, with a scowl, he snatched up the crystal ball and went striding briskly in the direction of Lilithmon's chamber. He rapped urgently on her door. 

"What is it now?" she asked. 

"It's that sister of mine," he answered. "She is getting into mischief, as I predicted she would." 

There was a pause. "You may enter." 

Wisemon opened the door and stepped into the chamber. It was very dim in the room, and Wisemon's crystal glimmered brightly with its own light in the gloom. By its radiance, he could see the lady of the manor reclining on a divan, her chin propped on her hand, looking quietly contemplative. 

"Look," said Wisemon, thrusting the sphere at her. "See! See what she's doing now?" 

Lilithmon looked. She didn't have Wisemon's ability, but with him present, she could see vague images in the globe, and hear, in a tinny and distant way, what was being said. She watched and listened a moment, letting the tiniest frown show on her serene face. It seemed that Witchmon was having a perfectly amiable conversation with one of the human children she was meant to be eradicating. The child didn't seem to be in any hurry to get away from her, nor did he look to be hindered from doing so if he wanted to. 

"This will not do," said Lilithmon. "You will remedy it, won't you, Wisemon?" 

"If my lady wishes it so." 

"Yes. Fetch her here. It is time she and I had another of our little talks," she answered. 

There was something in the shadows of Wisemon's cowl that might have been a satisfied smile. "I was thinking as much. I will prepare a spell to retrieve her." 

He slipped out the door again. He was glad Lilithmon would be handling the situation now, and not him. Witchmon respected him, but deep down, she also loved him, and believed he would forgive her for her mistakes. Not so with Lilithmon. Witchmon had a healthy fear for _her_. When Lilithmon told her to keep away from these children, she would listen. It was true, too, that Lilithmon had a certain way of making her lessons stick... 

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" 

Izumi glanced down at the Star, which was glowing brightly in a comforting sort of way. "I'm as sure as I can be. It's not like this thing can tell me what it's doing, you know." 

Takuya fidgeted. "Well, can't we go any faster? He could be anywhere by now." 

"Don't get your shorts in a knot," said Junpei. "We'll find him. Tomoki's a smart kid - once he figures out we're not with him, he's not going to go very far." 

"We'd better hope so," said Takuya. "I'm getting really, really tired of this place. I'm not feeling too fond of Drimogemon right now, either." 

"They can't help it. It's their nature," said Bokomon, "and we _are_ intruding in their territory..." 

"Shh!" said Izumi. "Do you hear something? There's someone up ahead." 

"Does it sound like Tomoki?" asked Kouji. "Or any of those Drimogemon?" 

"I hear it," said Kouichi. "It sounds like... a woman." 

He was right, more or less, depending on whether or not you considered Witchmon a woman. Just a few minutes beforehand, she had followed Tomoki around a corner and was surprised to come face to face with the glowing blue lights that flanked the mysterious mirror. Tomoki gave a victorious cry and ran and snatched it from the wall. 

"All right! Found it!" he cheered. "I knew I could do it!" 

"What?" asked Witchmon, staring blankly. "Heeeeey, if you're so excited about that thing, it must be... that's one of the Fabled Artifacts!" 

Tomoki flushed a little and tried to hide the mirror behind his back. "No, it isn't. Really!" 

"Oh, no, you can't fool me!" she said. "Give that here! I'm going to be in big trouble if I let you keep that!" 

"_You'll_ be in trouble? What about me?" 

"I'm not kidding! Give it here!" 

Witchmon made a clumsy lunge, and Tomoki dodged her easily and watched her fall on her face. Her hat fell off and rolled away. Cat spat at him and tried to claw him, but only managed to pull some threads in his sock. Tomoki took off down the hall they'd come from, watching carefully to see what she'd do. She sat up, rubbing at where the carpet had chafed her. 

"Oh, come on," she wailed. "_Please_ give it back! Everything was going so well until now!" 

"Sorry," said a new voice, "but we aren't giving up anything." 

"Guys!" said Tomoki, looking up. His friends were hurrying down the hall, drawn by the light of the blue lamps. Tomoki rushed up and hugged Takuya, who was in the lead. "Boy, I'm glad to see you!" 

"Hey, we're glad to see you, too!" answered Takuya, ruffling his friend's hair affectionately. "Looks like you found your mirror, too!" 

"He can't have it!" said Witchmon. "If you don't give it here, I'll - I'll have to take it from you! You can't get away from me here! There's nowhere to hide this time!" 

"Yeah," said Junpei, "but this time we know how to evolve. Do you want to try us?" 

Witchmon hesitated. She had only heard about the humans' new evolutions secondhand, from Wisemon. The idea of going up against unfamiliar but presumably powerful Digimon didn't enthuse her. 

"Oh, come on," she pleaded. "Can't you give a girl a break?" 

She was met only by resolute looks. She sighed. 

"All right, then," she said, trying to sound resolute. "I guess I have no choice but to... huh?" 

She looked down at herself. She seemed to be glowing. While everyone watched in amazement, she slowly levitated from the floor and hovered in the middle of the air. She clutched her broom to her, wailing in distress, while Cat squalled. Then there was a final burst of red light, and she disappeared. Everyone stood blinking, trying to adjust to the change in light levels. 

"What just happened?" asked Junpei. 

"She's all gone," said Neemon, looking around. "Where did she go?" He began peering in nooks and crannies, as if he thought she was playing hide-and-seek. 

"What does it matter?" asked Kouji. "She's gone. That's what's important. Let's check out this mirror, and then maybe we can get out of here." 

"Got it," said Izumi. She held her necklace up to the mirror. The crystal flashed brightly in four pulses of light before dying out to an almost invisible shimmer. She nodded. 

"It checks out," she announced. "This is the Pool of Knowledge." 

"Excellent," said Kouichi. "Now if it would just tell us how to get out of here, we'd be doing something." 

Tomoki thought about that for a moment. Then he walked over to where Witchmon's discarded headgear had fallen and set the Pool on top of it. Striking an authoritative pose, he chanted, "Mirror, mirror, on the hat - show us where the exit's at!" 

A few people snickered. Tomoki shrugged and gave a half-smile. 

"Hey, it rhymes," he said. 

The mirror began to glow softly. Then its surface became filled with an image of winding tunnels. At first, the group could see themselves all standing in the mirror's chamber, just as they were now. Then the image began to pan slowly away from them, tracing its way through a series of corridors until it finally reached a broad staircase leading upwards. There was a flare of sunlight at the top, and then the picture faded. 

"Did anybody get all that?" asked Kouji. 

Bokomon had been furiously scribbling on a blank bit of paper in one of his books. "Right, left, third from right, center, right again, second from left, up the stairs," he said. 

"Great," said Takuya. "Let's roll." 

"Wait a sec," said Junpei. 

He sauntered up to one of the peculiar blue lights on the wall. Gripping it firmly, he gave it a wrench, then gritted his teeth and shifted his stance, and yanked again. The light came free in his hand, still glowing gently. 

"There," he said. "_Now_ we can go." 

They set out. The going was much easier now that they had reliable light to see by, and with Bokomon's notes, they were able to make their way confidently through the confusing network of tunnels. It would have been perfectly easy if the Drimogemon hadn't chosen that moment to find them again. 

"There they are!" someone far back in the shadows bellowed. "They won't get away this time!" 

"Hoo boy!" Takuya exclaimed. "These guys just don't quit! Put some speed on it!" 

They began to run. Up ahead, they could see the darkening shadows that indicated there would be another fork in the path ahead. 

"Which way?" called Izumi. 

"Right!" Bokomon ordered. 

They rushed down the far right passage. Behind them, they could hear the heavy treading of many moles. There was also a whirring noise that brought drills to mind; the Drimogemon were angry at being eluded so long, and now they meant business. 

"All right, at the next fork, take the branch second from the left," said Bokomon. "That should lead to a staircase!" 

Kouichi nodded and sprinted toward the indicated passage, followed closely by his friends. Chancing a glance behind him, he could just barely make out the lumbering shapes of their pursuers. 

"They're gaining!" he shouted. 

"Yeah, but we're almost there!" said Takuya. 

They rounded a corner and encountered the staircase. It was much larger than they expected, rising high above their heads to what seemed like a point of light very far away. The treads were built to accommodate the Drimogemon, not humans, and were rather large for easy running. They were forced to slow to a literal crawl as they scaled the incline. 

"Up you go!" said Kouji, seizing on Bokomon and Neemon and tossing them to the highest step he could reach. 

"Move, move, move!" Kouichi shouted. "They're almost here!" 

The group continued their wild scramble. When they were just over halfway to the top, the Drimogemon themselves arrived, clustering at the bottom of the stairs. They seemed to hesitate a moment, as if uncertain what to do next. Then one of them began the climb. He moved a lot more quickly than the children could. 

"Oh, I don't like this!" Bokomon complained. "Neemon, this is all your fault!" 

"I didn't mean to fall down!" 

"Keep it together!" said Takuya. "We're almost there!" 

The Drimogemon was hot on their trail. Now all of them, even those without Kouichi's night vision, could look down and see him clearly - a heavy beast with short legs, massive paws, and a long sharp drill for a nose, which was just now whirring wildly. He made a swipe at Tomoki, who was in the back, but missed by a margin of several inches as Junpei reached down and hauled the boy up to the next step. The Drimogemon growled in frustration... but he didn't come any further. 

"You come back here!" he shouted. "We're not done with you!" 

Naturally, the children and their Digimon companions didn't do any such thing. They continued climbing as fast as they could toward the exit they could now see clearly. Sunlight, bright and strong and warming, was pouring through it, and the sky was a perfect blue. 

"Why isn't he following us?" asked Izumi. "He's so close, and he just stopped!" 

Kouichi looked down at the Drimogemon. It was wincing and squinting up at them, occasionally pawing at his face as if bothered by flies. "It's the sunlight! He doesn't like the light. It hurts his eyes!" 

"Ha! I wish I could show him what real Light is all about!" said Kouji. 

One by one, the group scampered through the opening, clambering to freedom. A brisk mountain breeze stirred around them, as if glad to see them. Kouji gratefully turned his face to the sun, relieved to be out of the oppressive darkness. As much as he loved his brother, there was only so much of that kind of thing he could be expected to put up with. Izumi sighed gratefully as the gentle wind tossed her hair. Down below them, they could hear their pursuer grumbling as he crawled back down the stairs. 

"Man! Am I ever glad that's over!" said Takuya. 

"You aren't the only one," said Junpei. "Much more of that and I would have gone claustrophobic or something and started attacking the walls." 

"So where are we now?" asked Kouichi, examining the lay of the land. They seemed to have come out in a canyon, and there was a rough dirt track leading through it, with faint ruts that suggested the passage of wagons. 

Bokomon pulled out his book and flipped through it. "If memory serves me, we should be... about ten miles ahead of where we were before." 

"You mean we took a shortcut?" asked Tomoki. 

"Longest shortcut I ever took," Junpei said. 

"Well, we made it safely, and that's what matters," said Bokomon. "Anyway, this looks to me like the main trade route through this part of the range. If we follow it, we'll be through the mountains in no time." 

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Takuya. "Let's get going!" 

"Can't we have lunch first?" asked Junpei, but the ever-eager Takuya was already way ahead of him and didn't seem to hear. "Oh, whatever." He fished a candy bar out of his pocket and began unwrapping it. "Anyone else want one?" 

Kouji almost laughed. "Sure. We'll let Takuya starve and see if he learns anything from." 

"Maybe later," said Izumi. 

He shrugged. "Okay. Suit yourself." 

The group separated into a straggling line, more or less following Takuya's lead. Izumi purposely walked slowly, until she had let Tomoki catch up to her. He was paying little attention to what was going on around him, his eyes fixed proudly on his new discovery. 

"Have you got it figured out yet?" she asked him. 

"Not yet," he said. "I was trying to figure out if it would show me anything useful if I didn't come up with a rhyme for it first. It shows me things, but most of them don't make much sense. I'll get the hang of it, though." 

"Can I borrow it? Just for a little while?" she asked. "You know, just to have a closer look." 

Tomoki thought it over. "Hmm... Okay! But don't break it. That would be worse than seven years' bad luck." 

Izumi smiled. "I'll be very careful." 

She gently lifted the mirror from his hands and gazed into it. All it showed was her own face and the mountains and sky behind her. 

"Mirror, mirror in my hand," she whispered. "Who's the fairest in the..." 

She trailed off. The mirror shimmered softly, waiting for her to say the final word that would complete the couplet. Instead, she looked ahead of her at the other boys. Kouichi had taken out the camera Junpei had loaned him and snapping pictures of the others as they horsed around. Takuya had figured out that free candy was being dispensed, and had remembered that he was as hungry as anyone. Junpei was teasing him by holding a candy bar above his head, and everyone, even Takuya, was laughing as he tried to grab it. Izumi glanced back down at the mirror, thinking about what it had shown the last time such a question was asked. 

"Never mind," she said. "I think I'll figure it out for myself, thanks." 

The mirror went blank, and showed only her thoughtful face again. She carried it back to Tomoki. 

"Here you go," she said. "Hey, guys, wait for me! I want some candy, too!" 

She picked up her pace to rejoin the rest of the group, and put aside any other questions for another time. 

Witchmon fell on the floor in a heap. A split second later, Cat dropped out of the air and landed on top of her, digging his claws into her back in fright. 

"Yikes!" she said, sitting up suddenly. Cat yowled and clung to her dress for dear life. Wisemon, looking on, only shook his head. 

"You can't imagine how ridiculous you look," he said. 

"Well, I'm sorry," she said sulkily. "I didn't want to be transported." 

"I had to do something," said Wisemon. "You were misbehaving again, Witchmon. I _told_ you not to talk to the children." 

"I was capturing him," said Witchmon. "Honest I was. And I was going to steal a Fabled Artifact, too, if you hadn't yanked me away." 

"Are you criticizing me?" 

Witchmon hung her head. "No, Wisemon, really I'm not. You know I wouldn't do that. I'm just trying to explain..." 

"I am not interested in explanations. Neither is Lilithmon. She has been observing your actions, and she is displeased." 

Witchmon paled visibly. "No..." 

"Yes. I did warn you. Now you'll have to take your punishment." 

Witchmon was still for a moment. Then, gritting her teeth, she rose shakily to her feet and began to walk stiffly towards the chambers where Lilithmon dwelled. She moved slowly down the hall, pausing at her lady's doorway. She took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and went in. The door swung slowly shut behind her and latched with a metallic click. For a moment, there was silence. 

Then the screams began... 

The night was cold. Kouji huddled close to the fire, as all the children were doing. They had covered themselves as best they could, and were moderately comfortable in their slumber. Kouji, though, remained awake, keeping vigil over them. They had traveled far that day, climbing steadily up the sloping road, and the air was thin and chilly at this altitude. Kouji didn't care for it much. The winds sweeping down from the peaks made him think of ice and snow, and the thought of having to travel through any of it wasn't a cheerful one. He seized a stick at the edge of the fire and used it to stir the blaze, making it flare brighter and hotter for a few moments before it died back down. 

Kouichi rolled over and sat up, stretching wearily. His brother looked at him with concern. 

"I didn't wake you, did I?" 

"No, don't worry," answered Kouichi. "I couldn't sleep, anyway. I had something on my mind." 

"Well, you know I'm always here to listen," Kouji said. 

"That's true," his twin replied. "You listen better than you talk, as a matter of fact." 

He went to join his brother on the flat stone he was using as a seat, and Kouji obligingly scooted over to make room for him. 

"All right," he said. "What's on your mind?" 

"Evolving," Kouichi replied. "Specifically, why some of us can and some of us can't." 

"That's been on my mind, too," Kouji said. 

"It doesn't surprise me, in retrospect, that Takuya was the first," Kouichi mused. "If everything I've heard is true, he's always near the head of just about everything... but so were you. You and Takuya used to always get everything ahead of the others." 

"I've thought about that, too," said Kouji. "It makes me wonder why I'm lagging behind now. I mean, it's not for lack of trying..." 

"You too?" asked Kouichi, looking faintly surprised. 

Kouji nodded. "Back at the lakeside village. I _tried_ to evolve, when I was having that fight... and I couldn't. I mean, I felt the power there, but for some reason, I couldn't use it. I guess it was just too dark, or something." 

"I'm not so sure," said Kouichi. "I tried it today, too. I wanted to protect you from the Drimogemon. It would have been the perfect place for the Warrior of Shadows to evolve, down there in the dark, but I just couldn't. I can't understand it. The need was there, the desire was there, I could _feel_ the power there, but... nothing happened. Nothing at all." 

"Hmm," said Kouji. "Are you worried?" 

"A little," said Kouichi. "Not just about you and me. The others, too. What if _they_ can't evolve when we need it most?" 

"Then we'll just have to think of some other solution," said Kouji. "But I know what you mean. Makes me wish we had our reliable old Spirits back... Do you think they're gone forever?" 

Kouichi shook his head. "No. They'll never be gone from us completely. We're part of them now, and they're part of us. I have faith in them. They'll be here protecting us when we really need them." 

"I hope you're right," said Kouji. "I just really hope you're right." 

The brothers became quiet then, taking what comfort they could in each other's presence. The fire burned low, and irresistibly, their eyes were drawn skyward. The night passed by with them tracing the patterns of the constellations against the night sky, musing on the never-ending dance of light and shadow. 

**

TO BE CONTINUED

**


	7. Wings of Faith

_**Author's Notes:** Once again, extensive research has failed to uncover any appropriate canon forms for the character in question. Choumon is my original creation. If anyone finds any evidence that there IS a canon devolution for the character in question, feel free to tell me. That is all._

**

Wings of Faith

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

The mountains echoed with the sounds of laughter. A herd of Moosemon looked up from their grazing to search for the sound, curious as to who would be making such a noise in this barren place. Peering from the edge of a high cliff, they could make out a procession far below: six children and two Digimon, who were currently helping their long walk pass more quickly by having a joke contest. The jokes had gotten steadily worse over the last few minutes, and most of them were working themselves into a case of the sillies. 

"All right, all right, I've got one!" said Junpei. "There are these two oysters, see, and they're eating a candy bar..." 

"Oysters don't eat candy," Kouji said. 

"These do." 

"Where'd they get it?" asked Takuya teasingly. "I don't remember any convenience stores under the ocean." 

Junpei rolled his eyes. "I gave it to them. Can I get on with the story?" 

"Sure," said Kouichi, hiding a grin. "Be my guest." 

"Okay. There are these two oysters eating a candy bar, and a couple of fish swim by..." 

"I thought this joke was about oysters," said Takuya. 

"It is! I'll get back to them in a minute. Anyway, these oysters are eating a candy bar, and these two fish swim by. One fish says to the other..." 

"Fish can't talk," said Kouichi, trying hard not to smile. 

"These fish can. They're parrotfish," Junpei said. "Can I get on with it already?" 

"Go on! We're listening," said Takuya. 

"Fine. There are two oysters eating a candy bar, and these two fish--" 

"Parrotfish!" Tomoki interjected. 

"These two _parrotfish_ swim by. One says to the other, 'Boy, that candy looks good. Do you think they'd share?' The other says, 'Nah, they won't share any - they're two shellfish!'" 

The twins snickered, Takuya guffawed, and Izumi giggled. Tomoki, however, didn't do anything. He had been spending his time investigating the properties of his new mirror, and was thoroughly engrossed in whatever it was showing him. Noticing his friend's preoccupation, Takuya drifted to the back of the group to see what Tomoki was doing. 

"Having any luck with that?" he asked. 

Tomoki shrugged. "Some. It helps if you ask it nicely. Mostly it's just been showing me random things that don't make much sense. See?" 

Takuya glanced in the mirror. It was flashing images without any apparent plan or purpose. He watched in mild curiosity as it showed him a picture of an Ogremon with a large hammer, then what appeared to be some kind of shaggy mountain goat, then a building on a windswept hilltop, then some kind of Digimon resembling a cat in harem pants. Then it jumped back to the goat again and stuck there. 

"It shows me that a lot," said Tomoki. "I don't know why. Do you think it's important?" 

"Maybe," Takuya replied. "Maybe your mirror just has a weird sense of humor." 

"Maybe so," said Tomoki, glancing back at his new treasure. It was showing the Ogremon again; he was busy hammering metal over a forge. "This is a new one, though. Maybe I ought to start writing these down..." 

Takuya decided he wasn't going to get much conversation out of Tomoki until his new toy had lost its fascination... which, he knew from long experience, might be a while. The best thing to do was probably to leave him at it and let him work it out on his own. Resigned, Takuya turned his attention to the front of the group to see what the rest of them were doing. 

By virtue of the Star of Guidance, Izumi had taken the lead, a situation she seemed to feel was entirely appropriate. Takuya felt otherwise, but there was no point in complaining. He didn't even _have_ a Fabled Artifact to look after, a fact she'd be quick to point out if it came to an argument. Keeping her company was the ubiquitous Junpei, who was making himself useful primarily by assisting the Digimon on the sometimes difficult pathways. It was almost a full-time job, as Bokomon was walking along with his beak in a book, tracing their route and reading up on whatever hazards might present themselves along the way. Neemon had no such hindrance, but then again, he didn't need one to get into trouble. The twins marched behind them, side by side like a pair of matched guards. Takuya jogged up to join them. 

"Hey, don't get too far ahead!" he shouted to Izumi. "You're going to leave people behind!" 

"You'll catch up," she said offhandedly. "It's not like there are any other roads around here." 

The trail wound around a sharp curve, with a steep drop off to one side and the mountain inclining sharply upwards on the other. Izumi navigated it carefully, and then stopped and looked. 

"Well, never mind, then," she said. 

Junpei peeked around the corner. "Fork in the road," he observed. "Which way now?" 

"Hmm," said Izumi. She glanced down at her necklace, but it was only giving out the faintest of glimmers. Whatever item they were looking for was obviously still too far away to do them much good. "No idea! Bokomon, you're the expert here. Which way do you say we go?" 

"Well, according to this map," said Bokomon, "both of them go the same way. The one on the left, however, is considerably shorter, while the one on the right leads past a small spring suitable for refilling water supplies. It all depends on what your priorities are, really." 

"Our water supplies are running pretty low," said Kouichi. "I'd say, since we're not on a set schedule, we ought to think about taking the chance for a refill." 

"I was thinking the same thing," Kouji said. 

His brother smiled. "Of course you were!" 

"I was also thinking that where there's water, there are usually also plants - and possibly food," said Kouji. "There's not a lot to eat up here in the hills." He waved around at the sheer rock walls that surrounded them on all sides. 

"I wasn't thinking about that," Kouichi admitted. "I was just thirsty. This hiking takes it out of you!" 

"Well, let's hit the trail!" said Takuya. "One of them, anyway. Which way was it we were going?" 

"That way," said Izumi, pointing. 

Takuya tossed off an exaggerated salute. "Yes, _sir!_ Whatever you say, _sir_!" 

Izumi rolled her eyes and started walking again. The others exchanged amused glances and started walking again. 

The path looped and twisted, winding its way around hairpin turns, occasionally dipping but usually climbing steadily upwards. The air was becoming cooler the higher they climbed, and a few of the children had pulled out their jackets and slipped them on. It had been one thing when Bokomon told them that the Digital World's autumn was approaching, back when they were in the flowering fields of the Continent of Light, but it was something else again when you were on the side of a rocky mountain with a chilly breeze whipping around them. 

It was eerie, that wind. It blew over the rocks and called forth strange sounds, whistling and wailing, that echoed through the bare chasms. From time to time, it would dislodge a stone and send it careening down from the heights; several times, the children had been forced to dodge as basketball- sized stones came bouncing down among them. It made everyone nervous, but they learned to tolerate it after a while, and didn't pay much more attention than it took to hear the noise and get out of the way. It was the ever-vigilant Kouji who first became aware that trouble was brewing. 

"Guys," he said quietly, "do you hear that?" 

Everyone stopped walking and listened. There was a strange sound in the air, one they hadn't heard before, a kind of grinding and creaking that they could feel in the earth as well as hear. 

"What is that?" asked Tomoki. 

"I don't know," said Kouichi, "but I don't think I like it. Let's get out of here!" 

He began striding forward briskly, but he didn't make it very far. Even as he began to move, there was a rushing noise, and everyone looked up to see a large chunk of the mountain come loose and began tumbling down the slope towards them, bringing with it a tide of rubble, dust, and debris. For a split second, everyone was petrified. Then there was a wild scramble to get out of the way. Kouji caught his twin's collar and dragged him backwards, away from the falling stone. Junpei lunged forwards and shoved Izumi out of harm's way. The Digimon fled in wild panic, and possibly would have run all the way back to Ophanimon's palace if Tomoki hadn't latched on to them. The rumbling went on, shaking the earth beneath their feet. At last, after what seemed like forever, it ground to a mutter and became still. The children began opening their eyes, blinking as the dust settled, and began taking stock of the damage. The rubble was completely blocking off the path, but everyone seemed to be safe and sound... 

...just not all on the same side. Takuya looked around, taking a headcount. Yes, he seemed to be all in one piece, and Tomoki seemed to be more concerned with making sure his mirror was still intact. The twins were busy reassuring each other that they were fine (Kouji was giving his brother a scolding for frightening him), and the Digimon were still huddled on the ground with their hands over their ears. There were, however, a couple of noticeable gaps in the roster. Takuya stared worriedly at the heap of stone in front of him. 

"Hello?" he called. "Is anybody alive over there?" 

"Yeah, we're fine," called Junpei. "We're a little dusty, but we're okay." 

"Are you all okay over there?" Izumi asked. 

"We're fine," Kouji assured her. "Though not without or difficulties..." 

"Yeah, I guess this is a problem," said Takuya, walking up to inspect the heap of rubble. It was piled higher than his head where it was closest to the slope, and while it tapered off on the other end, he didn't dare try to walk on the pile of loose stones and gravel - not with that fifty-foot drop looming on the other side. He made an abortive attempt to climb over the higher side, but was forced to give up as the stones shifted beneath his feet. 

"Looks like we're stuck," he said. 

"Maybe we could dig it loose?" Tomoki suggested. 

"Probably not," said Kouichi. "There are some big rocks in there, maybe too big to move. Not to mention trying might cause another rockslide." 

"So what are we going to do?" asked Takuya. "We can't just leave them there." 

"Of course not," said Bokomon briskly. "We'll just have to take an alternate route." 

"Is that anything like taking a Trailmon?" asked Neemon blankly. 

"Close enough," said Bokomon. "We'll have to backtrack and take the other route, and meet up at the intersection." 

"Are you guys getting that?" Takuya shouted across the barrier. "You two keep going, and we'll catch up to you later!" 

"We've got it," Izumi assured him. "Guess we'll see you at the crossroads." 

"Be careful out there," said Kouji. "You never know what will jump out at you." 

"We'll be fine," Junpei assured him. 

The group said their goodbyes and headed off in their separate ways - Izumi and Junpei continuing along the path, and the rest of the team retracing their steps towards the divide in the road. Kouji kept glancing worriedly over his shoulder. Kouichi noticed this and put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder. 

"Don't worry," he said. "They can take care of themselves just fine." 

"I don't know," said Kouji. "At least we have _this_ stupid thing to protect us, if worst comes to worst." He brandished the Staff of Order. "They don't have anything to protect them." 

"She has Junpei," said Tomoki. "If something nasty comes up, he can evolve and fight." 

"We don't know that for sure," Kouji said. "It only happened once." 

Takuya laughed. "So what? You know how he is - if something tried messing with Izumi, he'd take it apart with his bare hands, if he had to. And Izumi's a tough chick by herself. I know _I_ wouldn't make her mad, even if she was alone! Nah, the most she's in danger from is Junpei's brand of romance." 

Kouji almost smiled. "That's probably enough to worry about."   
  
"She knows how. She's had lots of practice," Takuya assured him. "All we can do for them now is hurry and try to catch up. Come on!" 

Kouji nodded and picked up his pace a little, looking somewhat reassured. Kouichi, however, was not fooled. Kouji was a born worrier, and right now, his brother was picking up tremors of unease from him. It was funny, he mused, how it was the Warrior of Light who was always thinking of what could go wrong, while Kouichi himself was the optimist of the pair. Right now, Kouichi was inclined to agree with Takuya: Izumi and Junpei could take care of themselves, and by all accounts had done so before under similar circumstances. It was highly unlikely that there was anything in this barren place that could do them any real harm. 

Witchmon was sleeping. Wisemon, a spy by nature, opened the door to her room a crack to peer inside at her. It wasn't much of a room, really, more like a large hole in the ground that had been filled with furniture, which was more or less the case. The walls were made of stone, but they hadn't been joined particularly well, and the roots of plants protruded through the chinks here and there, so that Witchmon had an ongoing battle to keep them from caving in. There was a dilapidated shelf filled with Witchmon's books and magical tools, and a battered and scorched table for the making of potions, and some crude magical diagrams etched into the floor. The bed was nothing more than a pallet filled with straw, resting on a sagging bedstead. Witchmon was sprawled upon this in an attitude of utter exhaustion, barely even breathing, while Cat stretched out in a similar fashion at her feet. Both of them twitched and whimpered from time to time, as if battling nightmares - perhaps reliving their last encounter with their mistress. Wisemon nodded and shut the door. The punishments Lilithmon dealt out for her transgressions tended to be draining, and it generally took a day or two for Witchmon to recover from them. Smiling as if from some private joke, the wizard glided away to attend to his own, more pressing, business. 

_I wonder if I should try dealing with these children myself?_ he mused. _It would be easier than leaving matters up to Witchmon... and Lilithmon herself won't take direct action until they are too close to be safely ignored any longer._

He turned the possibilities over in his mind. It was possible that he could find them and defeat them, and then again, it was possible that he couldn't. He was a powerful wizard, but his magic wasn't necessarily battle magic. There was, too, the fact that he would rather not rush into a situation where he didn't know what to expect, and this odd new form of evolution the humans were using was outside his experience. He didn't want to go blindly into a battle and find himself facing something utterly unpredictable. 

_If only Lilithmon would fight them herself, we'd have nothing to worry about,_ he thought wistfully. That she could defeat them, he had little doubt. There had been a time when she could and did do almost anything she wished. It was his firm belief that if she desired to challenge the Great Angels themselves, she would at least stand a fighting chance, especially if she had the option of taking them on one at a time. They might have been the most powerful Digimon alive today, but they weren't gods, and they could be overcome - Lucemon had proven that. They were mortal and had mortal failings; they could be frightened and confused and led astray like any other Digimon, and that was Lilithmon's specialty. It was only her own fears and doubts that kept her imprisoned here. If he could only convince her to return to the outside world, there would be nothing that could stand against her. 

_I would be doing her a favor if I let the situation be for a little while. Once they enter her domain, she'll be able to fight them herself, and destroying these new Legendary Warriors might be just the boost of confidence she needs. Laying claim to the last of the Fabled Artifacts would be a nice bonus, as well... but no. I have my orders, and I cannot disobey._ He thought of what would happen to him if Lilithmon were to suspect he'd let enemies into her territory on purpose. He shuddered faintly. Oh, well, perhaps the knowledge that she had destroyed them by proxy would be enough. 

Returning to his own study, Wisemon produced one of his crystals and peered into it, searching for some trace of the human warriors. It would have been so much easier if he'd had Witchmon there to home in on - there was nothing like a blood tie to strengthen a spell - but he would work with what he had. In the end, he was able to home in on the vague sense of _not-belonging_ that these strangers in their land emanated, and even that signal was scattered and faint. Wisemon frowned. Even at a distance, their auras shouldn't feel this faint. No matter; he knew roughly where they were, now, and that was enough. Now all he had to do was find someone to deal with them. 

A few moments later, a cell door slid open in the bowels of Lilithmon's manor, allowing a wan shaft of torchlight to fall into a holding pen. The pen's only occupant raised its head and turned to face its captor. Wisemon allowed himself a faint sneer of disgust. While this creature was technically classified as a Dragon Man Digimon, it was still rather too beast-like to suit his tastes. Still, it had merit as a fighter, and it had been willing to serve Lilithmon of its own free will, and thereby merited better treatment than some of the other beings confined down here. Its pen was large enough that it had room to move and even run if it wanted to, and there were torches and crude furnishings for its convenience, though the lights were out at the moment. Apparently Wisemon had caught it napping, but now it was awake and alert. 

"Hello," said Wisemon. "How would you like to kill something?" 

Unaware of the looming danger, Izumi was walking casually up the path, keeping a watchful eye over her traveling companion. She felt it was only her right, considering that he was always keeping an eye on her, one way or the other. She had gotten used to it, to the point where it seldom bothered her any more, but she felt it was wise to keep a sharper eye on him than usual. It had been a while since they'd been completely alone together, and while she thought she could count on him to be more-or- less gentlemanly, she still didn't put it past him to try _something_. 

The idea gave her a tiny thrill of apprehension. When it came right down to it, she still couldn't put a name to exactly how she felt about him - or how he felt about her, for that matter. The fact that he had a crush on her was plain to anyone who wasn't blind and deaf. It was even possible that he loved her. For her own part, well... it was complicated. Certainly she liked him a lot. He might not have been magazine-cover material, but he did have his good points. He was kind and patient and loyal and easy to be around, and there were times when his flirtations called up an answering spark... but it was only a spark, and generally went away as soon as she noticed it. Sometimes she almost felt guilty, because he was so plainly devoted to her, and she had a hard time imagining ever being that smitten with him in return. 

She didn't realize she looked preoccupied, but her companion noticed anyway. She was being far too quiet, and "quiet" was not her natural state of being. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Junpei began to talk. 

"You know," he said, "if I had just thought to turn into Mushimon, I could have just flown everybody over the rockslide, and we wouldn't have had this problem." 

"If you had turned into Mushimon, you might have forgotten yourself again, and I would have been stuck on the wrong side of a pile of rocks by myself," Izumi pointed out. 

He looked sheepish. "Yeah, I guess it could have happened. It's hard to tell. Oh, well, maybe I couldn't have done it at all." 

"Maybe so," she said. There was a pause. "I wonder if I could do it? I mean, if we get into trouble? Right now, I'm not good for much in a fight, and I _hate_ it." 

"Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll protect you." 

She smiled a little wryly. "That would be fine, if I wanted protecting. Lately I feel like the only reason they need me around is because I'm carrying the compass." 

"That's not true," he said. "We wouldn't have found the mirror if it hadn't been for you. Lately you've been almost like a leader." 

"Yeah, but not everybody likes that," she said. She considered a while. "Do you think I'm too bossy?" 

"Of course not!" he said. 

She laughed a little. "Well, of course you think I'm perfect. But do you think the others think so?" 

"I dunno, really. I wasn't paying much attention," he said. 

"Typical," she sighed. 

"Anyway, I don't see why it's really a problem," he said. "You know what I think? I think that's why the Star of Guidance chose you in the first place." 

She looked at him curiously. "Really? What do you mean?" 

"Well... It's like... it makes sense that Tomoki's got the Pool of Knowledge, because he always wants to know things and figure things out. And Kouji's got the Staff of Order because he likes everything in its place. That's how they are. And you have the Star of Guidance because that's how you are." 

"I am?" 

"Yeah," he said. "You always know exactly what you want to do, and you do it! You find your own way. I mean, it wouldn't work if I had it. I'd be lousy at telling people what to do and where to go, but you can keep us on track." 

"Oh," she said. "I hadn't looked at it that way." 

"Well, sure," he said. "I mean, you were the only one who could handle your B-Spirit, the first time you got it. Takuya and Kouji and them, they went crazy when they got theirs. You never lost your cool. I was impressed." 

"You were impressed by more than my poise, if I recall correctly." 

"Okay, yeah, but still." 

"I don't see how that proves anything. I don't remember you doing anything particularly crazy when you first turned into Bolgmon." 

To her surprise, he blushed a bit. "I _felt_ crazy. I just, you know, didn't have a whole lot of time to do anything. At the time, I couldn't think of anything but getting hold of the people who wanted to hurt my friends and blasting them into a million pieces. I might have gone a little crazy, if I hadn't passed out first." 

Izumi was quiet for a moment. It seemed strange, now that she thought of it, but none of her friends had ever taken the time to really talk about how it felt, making that essential shift from a human being into something altogether different. They just always assumed that the others knew, because they all had been through the same thing. It had never been completely comfortable, turning into a Digimon. Even after you got used to it, even if you got to the point where you could enjoy it, there was always a kind of edge to it that reminded you that this was something strange and unnatural you were doing. 

"Was it very bad, turning into Mushimon?" she asked quietly. 

There was a long pause, long enough that she stopped to look back at him. He had stopped walking, and he was staring up at the endless blue sky with an expression of wistful longing. 

"No," he said. The emotion in his voice was hard to place. "No, it was... wonderful." 

He shook himself, and when his gaze came back to earth to alight on her, the faraway look was almost gone. 

"It's okay, though," he said. "I wouldn't leave you behind again. If anything happens, I can keep you safe, and you'll keep me safe." 

She smiled at him - not because _she_ felt particularly reassured, but because she wanted to reassure him. 

"Sure," she said. "That sounds fair. Now, come on, or the others will be waiting for us." 

She walked back to his side and set a gentle hand on his arm, urging him forward. He smiled back at her and followed her up the path. 

There were two shimmering lights on the pinnacle of a mountain. One of them gradually resolved itself into a solid form, that of a two-legged, reptilian beast. The other remained steadfastly ambiguous, hovering in the air as nothing more than the illuminated outline of some shadowy being. The dragon-man watched it thoughtfully. 

"I will not expend the energy to send myself as well as you," said Wisemon's brittle voice. "You must manage for yourself from here, Strikedramon." 

The beast nodded. "I will do as you wish, my master. I will kill your enemies for you." 

"Very good," Wisemon replied. "See that you do. Perform well enough, and you may find we have other missions for you." 

Strikedramon nodded and licked his lips in anticipation. "I will not fail you." 

"Yes, you've said that before." The shimmering figure flicked a spark of magic at Strikedramon, which settled over the dragon-man's head and vanished. "That should tell you all you need to know. I will be watching you." 

Wisemon's image faded and vanished. Strikedramon nodded. He was an independent creature by nature, and he preferred to hunt alone. It was one of the reasons he had been able to survive and thrive in Lilithmon's dungeons when other creatures had gone mad from the eternal solitude and darkness. Many years ago, Strikedramon had been a simple V-mon, living a carefree life on the sandy plains not so very far from here, living among other Beast-Type Digimon. He should have grown up as a friendly Vaccine, but he had evolved unexpectedly into a Human-Type, and had been driven out of his colony. Lilithmon's warriors had taken him in and trained him to become the superhuman fighting machine he was today. Now he lived for one reason and one reason only: to avenge himself on those who had rejected him. He cared for no one but himself, but he was willing to lend his services to Wisemon, because the two of them had an understanding. Someday they would see Lilithmon reinstated to her rightful place, and then she would rub out all of those savage Beast-Digimon. Of course, these Legendary Warriors committed the blasphemy of trying to be human, Human-Type, and Beast-Type all at once. That, he thought, deserved a special punishment. He would deliver. 

Moving nimbly down the rocky slope, using his sharp claws for purchase and his tail for balance, he worked his way in the direction he knew the main trail lay. Wisemon had been able to communicate to him roughly where these humans would be, but he would have to pinpoint them on his own. He made his way down the mountainside, sometimes crawling like a lizard down near-vertical walls, pausing from time to time as he listened and watched for any movement. 

Halfway down the slope, he encountered evidence of a disturbance: a recent rockslide. Following its trail, he found the heap of rock covering the trail. Strikedramon sat down on top of it and considered. There was no way something as clumsy and weak as a human child could have managed to navigate around such a mass of rubble. It would be entirely too convenient if they had been crushed beneath it, so... had they passed this point before the rocks fell, or had they not yet reached it? He crept carefully around the area, sniffing at the dust, investigating the faint footprints. They led him to a conclusion: they had done both. Two of them had made it safely past the rockslide and continued onwards, while the rest had been thwarted by it and forced to backtrack. Strikedramon smiled. So they had let themselves become separated! It would be so much easier to battle two than six, and then he could hunt down the rest and deal with them later. Perhaps he could even arrange for more convenient rock slides - there were certainly enough materials near at hand. Feeling pleased with himself, he turned and bounded up the path in the direction of the two unlucky travelers. 

Meanwhile, the pair in question were quite literally cooling their heels. After a period of climbing, the path they had been following changed to a gentle slope, lined here and there with clumps of greenery. Further on, there was even the occasional tree, in the form of a scraggly pine. At last, like an oasis in a desert, there was the spring. It was a small thing, not much more than five feet across, with a tiny outlet that trickled between the stones and disappeared into a crevice. Moss and lichens grew all around it, turning this one section of the barren mountains into a comparative paradise. To two thirsty and footsore travelers, it was a welcome sight. They had scooped up handfuls of cold, clear water and enjoyed a refreshing drink, and then refilled their water bottles. Now they were taking the opportunity to rest a bit, sitting back on the soft moss and letting their bare feet dangle in the water. 

"Ooh, this feels nice," Izumi sighed. "If I could get away with it, I'd stop right here and take a bath." 

"If I say something, I'll get slapped or something, won't I?" 

She laughed. "Not hard. I'll tell you, the first thing I did when I got back home the first time was to take a long, long bath. I don't care if no time supposedly passed between when we left and when we got back; I _felt_ like I had a month's worth of grime on me. And I had a lot to think about." 

He blushed a little. "I went home and ordered a pizza." 

She laughed. "I should have known it was something like that!" 

"Well, I hadn't had any in a long time, and I was hungry! Saving the world takes it out of you." 

"If it makes you feel any better, I did that after I finished my bath." 

"Really?" 

"Well, I'd been making one before I left, and it was just sitting there waiting for me when I got back, so..." 

He laughed. "See? We have something in common." 

"Maybe so," she said. She sighed and began climbing to her feet. "Nice as this is, I guess we'd better get moving again. The rest of the gang will be waiting for us." 

"Yeah," he agreed. He began pulling his socks and shoes back on. "I guess so. It'll be a relief to get back with the others. It's too quiet out here - gives me the creeps." 

Izumi agreed that the silence was eerie. The whistling wind had died down to a light zephyr that barely stirred her hair, and the resulting stillness made her feel strangely exposed. The wind was supposed to be her ally, and if its strength was dying... She rejected that thought as being paranoid. With a firm stride, she began marching up the path. Junpei hopped awkwardly on one foot as he attempted to catch up with her and put his shoe on at the same time. 

The area around the spring was relatively flat for a short distance in all directions, if one didn't count the occasional boulder that had been dislodged from somewhere higher up the mountain and had been forced to make a new home down here. They stood at odd angles, sometimes propped on top of each other, looking like they might topple if someone sneezed on them. It was the ideal setup for something that wanted to jump out and nab an unwary traveler. Perhaps it was that, plus the unnatural stillness of the place, that put Junpei on edge. Or maybe it was just his determination to protect his beloved, making him imagine that there had to be something out there for him to protect her _from._ Either way, he was warier than usual, and that was why he was almost ready for what happened next. 

It happened so quickly that it took a moment for Izumi to realize anything had happened at all. One minute, she was walking peacefully up the path, and in the next moment, she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Then she felt an impact, and she was thrown to the ground. She sat up shaking herself and spitting the grit from the mouth, and saw that Junpei was crouching next to her, shielding her from... what? 

Something dropped lightly on the top of a flat stone and turned to face them. It was some kind of Digimon, of course, something lithe and muscular, a dragon in human form. Its skin was mostly blue, with a white patch covering the front of its neck and chest, which was marked wit a curling reddish tattoo of some sort. It wore clothing of a sort, in the form of loose-fitting green pants, as well as a metal helmet that covered most of its face. Its hands and the tip of its tail were likewise encased in metal. It carried no weapon, but its teeth and claws suggested it didn't have to. 

"You dodged," it said. "I was not expecting that. I will not be surprised a second time." 

"I don't guess that means you're going to give up and go home now," said Junpei. 

"No," said the creature. "I am Strikedramon, loyal warrior of the queen who dwells in darkness. She is displeased with you. I have been sent to dispose of you." 

"Yeah, like a half-a-dozen other things we've dealt with in the last week," Izumi retorted. "Some of them got off lucky - we didn't send them packing back to the Village of Beginnings as eggs." 

"Then you were foolish," said Strikedramon, "and so were they. And I am not interested in your idle banter. Defend yourselves." 

"If you want her, you're going to have to go through me!" said Junpei, spreading his arms in front of her protectively. 

She glared at him. "Don't be an idiot! You can't fight with that! We've got to get out of here, before-" 

She tugged futilely at him, trying to get him to move, and was only halfway successful. She manged to tug him a few inches backwards, just as Strikedramon sprung. He toppled backwards with a hoarse cry of pain, a long red slash angling across his chest. The dragon Digimon dropped lightly to his feet a few yards away and examined the blood on his claws. 

"One down," he said. "One to go." 

He sprang again - and was hit full in the face with a handful of dirt, thrown at point-blank range by Izumi. He forgot all about battling his enemies and was reduced to choking and sneezing and clawing at his mask, trying to get the stuff out of his mouth and eyes. 

"Come on, _move_," she snapped, scrambling to her feet and pulling at Junpei's arms. He managed to get to his feet and stumble after her, staggering and panting with pain. They made it as far as the shelter of a large rock before he collapsed again. Blood was slowly but steadily soaking his shirt, and he was looking drawn and pale. He leaned back and closed his eyes. 

"I'm sorry," he said. 

"What do you mean, you're sorry?" she said. 

"I couldn't protect you," he said. "Looks like you were right... I shouldn't have tried." 

"Now isn't the time to talk about it. We've got to figure out how to get away from this thing before..." She trailed off. She had been about to say, "Before he kills both of us," but considering the state her friend was in now... 

He made an attempt to stir, gasped, and lay still again. "I don't think I'm going to go anywhere. It looks like... this time you're... going to have to protect me." 

She said nothing. He gave her a strained smile. 

"Come on," he said. "I know you can do it. You can do anything, right?" 

She forced herself to smile back. "Yeah. Right." 

She put a comforting hand on his and tried to look reassuring. His eyes met hers for a moment, and then his gaze wavered. 

"I don't feel so good," he croaked, and he slumped into unconsciousness. 

Izumi swore. "Don't die on me now!" she ordered, feeling frantically for a pulse. It was still there, which reassured her somewhat, but there was no telling how much longer he was going to last. His wound was still bleeding sluggishly, and there was no time or material to treat him with. Her mouth set in a grim line. Somebody was going to pay for this. 

Not so very far away, Strikedramon had succeeded in getting most of the grit from his eyes, and was now busy searching the area for his elusive quarry. He was not in a hurry. The male couldn't go far in the state he was in, and would likely bleed to death if he tried. As for the female, even if she abandoned her companion (which Strikedramon didn't put it past her to do) well... a Digimon could move a lot faster in the rocky mountains than a human girl could. He primarily expected her to hide and wait in hopes that he would go away. She had no way of knowing that he had waited many, many years for his chance to come out and hunt enemies again, and a few more minutes or hours would mean nothing to him. He would find her sooner or later, and then he'd pry her out of her hole and... 

"Hey, snake snoot, looking for me?" 

Strikedramon raised his head in surprise. There was the girl, standing proudly on top of a stone and glaring at him in a way that made him think suddenly and uneasily of freezing winds blowing off the arctic floes. She was literally shaking in fury. 

"Yeah, I'm talking to you," she said. "If you think you can hurt my best friend and get away with it, you'd better think again." 

Strikedramon tilted his head quizzically, slightly amused by her confidence. "And what do you propose to do about it?" 

In reply, she leaped down off the rock and began running as quickly as she could back up the trail. "Catch me if you can!" 

Strikedramon smirked. Did she really think she could outrun him? Well, what difference did it make? He had been cooped up a long time; it would be enjoyable to stretch his legs a bit. He loped after her at an easy pace, keeping her just within sight. She continued hurrying up the hill, right to the point where it reached its crest. Beyond that point, there was a dramatic lookout over a deep gorge. Izumi ran right up to the edge... and jumped off. 

_This is the stupidest thing you've ever done,_ she thought. _You probably won't live to do anything stupider._

Looking down, she could see only a long ribbon of black shadows, which she was plummeting towards at a remarkable rate, and the closer she got, the more clearly she could see the jagged rocks that were drawing up to meet them. She forced herself to close her eyes, to look away, to concentrate only on the fact that for the moment, she was cut free from the earth, and that there was nothing above or below her but air. The rest of the world might have been still and calm, but she was caught up in a mighty wind that pulled at her clothing and made her hair whip out behind her, and she could hear nothing but the sound of it wailing in her ears. It almost sounded like someone singing, a long way off, and she realized she could hear words in it. 

_Don't be afraid. You are embraced by the power of the Wind, the breath of life. It moves in every living thing - bird and beast, fish and insect, flower and tree. It is in the patterns of the weather, which in turn nourish the earth. It is the great traveler, moving in the skies and the seas and all that is in between. It is unstoppable, unchangeable, unbreakable. Traveler, seeker, nurturer - this is the wind, and it is you. You are the Wind!_

"I am the Wind," she whispered. 

Her world _jerked_, painfully, and for a moment, she was sure she had been right all along, that she was being dashed against the rocks after the obligatory experience of having her life flash before her eyes. Then she opened her eyes and realized that the ground was still several yards away and still drawing near, but not nearly as it had before, and the ache was only in her back, as if someone had yanked a hook between the shoulder blades. She glanced behind her and saw pink. She blinked a few times and realized she was looking at the lacy edge of a wing. It seemed to belong to her. She fluttered it a few times, experimentally, and was pleased to see that she stopped falling and began rising gently upwards, like a bubble. 

_Well, of course I have wings,_ she chided herself. _How else would I get around?_

She looked around, vaguely puzzled at what she was doing halfway down this empty gorge. It wasn't a very pleasant place, really - nothing down there but rocks and tough mountain plants. Still, she had a fuzzy recollection that there was something she was supposed to be doing. She glanced upwards and saw something creeping around the edge of a precipice. 

"What's he up to?" she wondered. "No good, I'll bet. Well, I'll fix him!" 

Meanwhile, Strikedramon was thoroughly nonplused. Had the girl gone mad, or was she really foolish enough to believe that he would follow her over the edge of a cliff? Or was this some kind of ritual suicide? Perhaps the boy he had attacked had been her lover, that she was willing to try to lead him to his doom while jumping to her own demise? No; the boy was hardly the kind of person someone would be willing to die for. More likely this was some kind of trick. Perhaps there was a ledge below the lip of the cliff, out of his sight. He leaned over to have a look. 

Something came shooting up and collided with his jaw, and he rocked backwards. It was only with some quick maneuvering with his tail that he kept from being thrown completely-off balance. He regained his footing and looked up to see what had struck him. 

Hovering in front of him was a little Digimon, perhaps four feet tall, maybe less. It was very nearly human, taking the appearance of a young girl. Her face was pixy-like, with a sharp chin and pointed ears and high, arching brows. Her eyes, though, were anything but human, being more than twice the size of a human's and colored an opaque blue-green. They had a faint iridescence to them, like an insect's eyes. Her pinkish hair was tied into two long, thin ponytails that sprouted away from the top of her head like a pair of antennae. Sprouting from her back were a pair of frilly pink butterfly wings, and she was clothed in a short ruffled skirt of similar material. She did not look particularly dangerous, but she did look rather annoyed. 

"And what are you supposed to be?" Strikedramon asked. 

"Exactly what I am," she answered. "I am Choumon, the child of the Wind." 

"Ah, yes..." said Strikedramon. "Wisemon did tell me... you've transformed. Interesting. I didn't really think you had it in you. So, are you going to have a real fight with me now, to avenge what I did to your friend? That will be entertaining." 

"Friend?" said Choumon, momentarily nonplused. The word was touching off vague images in her mind that she was sure were important, if she could just find a moment to think about them... 

Strikedramon chuckled. "Ah, I see. I thought as much. You only want to save yourself, don't you? I knew you couldn't have any use for that idiot boy." 

He waved a claw dismissively, and the sunlight flashed on it. There was blood staining its tips. Where had that come from? Choumon stared hard, thinking there was something important that she had to remember, and she had to remember it _now_. 

"You... you hurt my friend!" she said slowly. "I know you did, if I could just remember you doing it!" 

"Then why don't you punish me for it?" he answered, grinning. 

Infuriated with the grinning reptile and frustrated by her own inability to remember, Choumon dove at him. He dodged her easily, and as she sailed by, he lashed at her, raking his claws across her arm. It did little more than scratch her, but it stung, and she cried out in pain and surprise. Strikedramon laughed at her. She brought herself up sharply, narrowly missing crashing into a wall of stone. 

"Hold still!" she snapped at him. 

Strikedramon only laughed and beckoned for her to come at him again. She gave a snarl of fury and dove. Once again, he dodged and lashed out at her. This time, he wasn't as lucky, and only clipped on of her wings as she went by. It barely even hurt, but it did alter her balance, and she wobbled a little in midair as she tried to slow herself. 

_Girl, what do you think you're doing?_ The thought came to her like a voice from a dream. _You know better than that! All the battles you've fought, and you think you can take this thing on just by throwing yourself at him? You're crazy!_

Choumon shook herself. Her head hurt. What other battles had she been in? She had only come into being today... but she had also always existed. She must have, because she was the Wind... 

_That's not all I am, and you know it. I'm Izumi Orimoto, I'm thirteen years old and I live in Tokyo, and right now I have friends who are counting on me, so quit fooling around!_

_You're wrong. I'm a Digimon._

_I'm **human.**_

She shook herself again. For a moment, she felt she was looking at the world through two sets of eyes, as if she was seeing two images laid over top of one another. She struggled to get the world to come back into focus, and was surprised to feel herself losing altitude. Startled, she turned her attention back to staying aloft. 

_Okay, okay, so I'd better be a Digimon for a little while longer. But I can at least be one with some sense! Let's go see what I can really do._

"What's the matter, little insect?" Strikedramon sneered. "Are you afraid of me?" 

She felt anger surge again, and she held herself back from attacking again. 

_He's just trying to make me angry enough to get close to him. He can't catch me while I'm way up here, so he has to lure me in close. Well, two can play that game!_

"Not hardly!" she snapped back. "I'm just tired of playing your little games. We're going to play _my_ way now!" 

She turned and dove at him - but turned away a few feet shy of him. He lashed out at her anyway and missed, and glared up at her through his mask. She stuck her tongue out at him. 

"Missed me by a mile, slowpoke! Come on, try again!" 

She flitted backwards and forwards, always staying just out of his reach, drawing him steadily closer to the edge of the cliff. Strikedramon noticed that he was approaching the drop-off and smiled faintly. Did she really think he was so naive? He couldn't be fooled that easily. Let her tire herself out playing tag with him if she wanted to. He could wait. He watched as she dove at him again, forcing himself to resist the urge to lash out at her... 

Much to his surprise, she flew straight past him and pulled up short behind him. He whipped around to stare at her, and nearly lost his balance. Choumon smiled at him. 

"_Papillon Breeze!_" 

She fanned her wings, calling up a wind, on which rode a flurry of metallic pink scales that slashed at him like thin blades. Strikedramon tried to get away - and he did, dropping straight over the edge of the cliff. Choumon waved at him. 

"Bye-bye!" she said. 

For a moment, elation filled her, the fierce joy of defeating an enemy, but she beat it back. She didn't have time to celebrate - Junpei needed her. The thought of her friend lying alone, in pain, maybe dying, was enough to flatten out her euphoria and clear her mind. She fluttered her wings and top speed and went rocketing up the trail toward the spring. 

Junpei was still where she'd left him, lying unconscious in the shelter of the stone. He seemed to have stopped bleeding finally, but his shirt was soaked with blood and his face was waxy pale. She fumbled at his wrist and felt for a pulse. Much to her relief, it was still beating, faintly but regularly. 

"Just hang in there a little longer," she told him. "I'll get you some help, I promise." 

It took some doing to maneuver him out of his hiding place when he was almost literally a dead weight, but she managed in the end. It was fortunate that her Digimon form seemed to be much stronger than her human form was, or she never could have carried him. It was awkward enough as it was. It took all the energy she could muster to move him the distance between the spring and the crossroads, as well as many anxious minutes. By the time she finally saw her friends in the distance, loitering at the place where the two paths merged, she'd nearly worked herself into a state of panic. 

"Help him!" she shouted, depositing him on the grass in front of them. She was dismayed to find that some of his blood had transferred onto her, and she stared in horror at her hands and front. 

"Izumi? Is that you?" asked Kouichi. 

"Never mind that now - he needs help," she pleaded. 

"I can see that," Kouji said. "All right, all right, get yourself together, and we'll do what we can. Does anybody know any first aid?" 

Bokomon, the self-appointed expert on everything, pulled out a book and found a chapter on healing herbs, and various persons were dispatched to see if they could find some. Kouji and Kouichi, who declared they weren't squeamish about blood, stayed behind to see what they could do about cleaning and bandaging their friend's injury. His shirt was plainly never going to be the same, so it was torn apart to make into padding and bandaging. Beneath it, they found that there were a set of three scratches. Two were hardly more than grazes, but the mark left by the longest claw was long and deep, angling from just below his shoulder to the opposite hip. The brothers exchanged anxious looks as they went about what rudimentary care they could manage, wondering just how much damage such an ugly- looking wound could have done. 

Meanwhile, Izumi had managed to shift back to her human form almost without thinking about, all thoughts of flying free on the wind crowded out by a purely human concern for her friend's well- being. She and Takuya had been dispatched to look for a certain bamboo-like plant, whose gluelike sap had given generations of Digimon cause to use its outer bark as adhesive bandaging. A stand of it had been located close by, and they were busy trying to break stalks of it free - a difficult job, as the stuff was displaying an appropriately bamboo-like disinclination to break. Izumi was busily taking out her frustrations on one of the stubborn weeds, and it took her a moment to realize Takuya was watching her strangely. 

"What's your problem?" she demanded sharply. 

"I was just thinking," he said. "When I turned into Flamon, I ran off into the woods and would have forgotten all about you guys if you all hadn't come after me. Junpei would have left if you hadn't started telling him off. But you came back, and you turned back into yourself without any trouble. How come?" 

She was silent for a moment, and he watched her carefully, wondering if he'd said something wrong. 

"Because," she said quietly, "I always know what I'm doing. That's how I am. Just ask him." 

Takuya's expression softened a little. "You're worried about him, aren't you?" 

"Of course I am," she said sharply. "Aren't you?" 

"Well, yeah," he said. "Still, when you think about it, better him than one of us." 

Izumi spluttered in incoherent rage. "How - how _dare_ you say such a thing?!" 

She lashed out and slapped him hard enough to make him stagger backwards. He rubbed at his face. 

"Hey, I didn't mean it the way that came out!" he protested. "What I _mean_ is, Junpei's tough. He can take a lot more punishment than you could. If _you'd_ taken that hit, you would have been gutted, and then there's nothing we could have done for you... but he'll probably be just fine. Especially if we can get these dumb weeds to cooperate." 

"Hm," said Izumi, not completely mollified. 

Takuya set a hand on your shoulder. "I'm just as worried as you are. _Really._ So let's hurry and get this done so we can go check back on him." 

"Okay," she said. She gave the plant a wrench, and it released its hold on the earth and came away in her hand. "Let's go." 

They hurried back to camp to find Tomoki and Neemon hard at work with fistfuls of dark green, pointed leaves, which were purported to have antiseptic qualities. They were busy mashing these into a paste, while Bokomon supervised the cleaning of Junpei's wounds. Kouji waved to Izumi and Takuya as they arrived. 

"Great, you're here," he said. "Get to work skinning those things so we can start putting him back together. Good news, though - that thing didn't hit anything vital. It looks like he's going to be just fine." 

Bokomon nodded. "He's going to be rather weak and sore for a while, but that's nothing a period of rest and a few good meals won't fix. He'll be good as new in no time." 

"You mean he's got to spend the next couple of days just relaxing and eating?" asked Takuya. "Geez! Why can't I get hurt like that?" 

Izumi smiled weakly. "He'll like that." 

They finished with their cleaning and bandaging, and then, since they were obviously not going anywhere any time soon, set about making a camp. Takuya laid a fire, and Tomoki started fixing dinner. The twins volunteered to take the group's water containers and hike back to the spring to refill them. The task of caring for their injured companion was delegated without any discussion to Izumi; there was an unspoken consensus that if he was in any danger, well, he was less likely to leave if _she_ was looking after him. It was difficult to say how she felt about this duty, but she accepted it nonetheless, and did what she could to make him comfortable. 

Sunset passed them by, and the mountains darkened with the coming of night. Takuya threw more wood on the fire. Everyone huddled close to it, speaking little, nibbling at their evening meal without much appetite. The general mood was tense. It was one thing to _say_ their friend was probably going to be all right, but the truth was, none of them were doctors, and they were alone in the wilderness, far from anyone who could help them. For the time being, everyone had forgotten that they were supposed to be on vacation. 

All such thoughts were driven from their minds by the sound of a low groan. Izumi looked down at the figure sleeping next to her, and saw him twitching slightly. He turned his head slightly and grimaced. 

"Am I dead?" he said woozily. 

Izumi gave a laugh of relief. "No, silly, of course you're not dead." 

"Oh, good," Junpei answered. His eyes flickered opened, and he looked around. "Where am I? What happened to Strikedramon?" He raised his head a little and caught sight of the others for the first time. "When did you guys get here?" 

"It's kind of a long story," said Izumi. "Don't worry about it. The important thing is, you're safe now, and Strikedramon isn't going to be hurting anybody else. I made sure of that." 

He smiled. "I knew you could do it! Didn't I say you could do anything?" 

"Yes, you were right," she said. "I had to pay that rotten lizard back for hurting you." 

"Really?" he asked, looking at her hopefully. 

"Of course," she said. Speaking as gently as she could, she added, "After all, you're my friend - my very best friend." 

"Oh," he said. 

"Aw, why don't you just kiss him and get it over with?" Takuya interjected. 

Izumi glared at him. "Mind your own business! We're _trying_ to have a conversation here, if you don't mind!" 

"You just don't wanna admit you like him," Takuya teased. 

"Takuya Kanbara, you take that back this instant!" 

She jumped up and moved toward Takuya, who backed off with one hand upraised. 

"Hey, you've hit me enough today! Don't start that again!" 

"Then learn to keep your big mouth shut!" 

The others tried to hide grins as Takuya and Izumi fell to arguing. Junpei just leaned back and sighed, and then grimaced again, making a mental note not to breathe too deeply until he'd healed up a little more. 

_Best friend, huh?_ he mused. _Yep. I'm definitely not dead. Welcome back to my life..._

**To Be Continued**


	8. A Fair Fight

**

A Fair Fight

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

The six Legendary Warriors, defenders of the Digital World and bane of evil, had been loafing by the side of the road for most of the day, and felt fully justified in doing so. Truth be told, there wasn't a whole lot else they could do. Junpei had recovered from being attacked by Strikedramon as well as could be expected, but he was still too weak and sore to move around very much, and his friends weren't entirely confident in their abilities as doctors. He'd been given strict orders not to go anywhere unless it was absolutely necessary, and since he couldn't go anywhere, they couldn't either. 

Not that this was a bad thing. Traveling over rough terrain for days at a stretch could be draining for anyone, and everyone welcomed the chance to rest their feet and relax their tired muscles. Earlier that morning, the industrious Tomoki had made a brief exploration of the local environs in search of food, and the twins had taken a trip back down the road to refill the group's water bottles, but that was as much as anyone felt like doing. Now nearly everyone had picked out a comfortable spot to doze away the afternoon. Takuya had, in fact, gone back to sleep. Kouji and Kouichi were simply relaxing side by side beneath the shady boughs of a pine tree, watching the clouds drift by. Neemon had produced a deck of cards from somewhere, each with a fanciful design printed on them, and he and Bokomon were playing some kind of game with them. Tomoki lay on the ground with his chin propped in his hands, watching them and attempting to divine the rules. It seemed to be something related to Old Maid or Gin Rummy, involving matching the cards into sets, but there were also some colored stones involved that seemed to be some kind of scorekeeping system. It couldn't have been that complicated, because Neemon seemed to know what he was doing. Either that, or he was just having a remarkable run of luck; at any rate, he was winning consistently. 

Kouji, chewing lazily on a stalk of grass, raised his eyes to the sky as a far-off sound caught his eye. He nudged his brother, who also looked up and stared off into the distance. A dark speck became gradually more distinguishable as a humanoid in a long red dress, clothing and hair whipping in the wind. At the same time, they were treated to a Doppler effect of someone shrieking: 

"...eeeeeeeEEEEEE**EEEEE**EEEEEEeeeeeee...." 

"There she goes," Kouji commented. 

"There she went," said Kouichi, watching Witchmon disappear over the horizon. "Haven't seen her in a day or two. Not since... what? Day before yesterday, I think. Wonder where she's been?" 

"Who knows? Who cares?" his brother replied. Kouji turned onto his side and closed his eyes, and Kouichi sighed. 

"I don't know," Kouichi replied. "Be kind of a shame if something happened to her, wouldn't it?" 

"Don't get attached to her," said Kouji. "She's not on our side. She'd turn us over to her boss and have us all killed the minute we gave her an opening, if she could." 

"I know that. I just have a hard time holding it against her." 

"I think you're ascribing too much to her." 

From a comparatively comfortable patch of moss, Junpei listened in on the brothers' discussion. There wasn't a whole lot of choice, seeing at how the card game was going on too far away for him to get a good view. He was trying not to complain, but the truth was, he had been in better shape. In fact, he wasn't sure he'd ever been in worse shape. He'd lost more blood than was good for him, and was still feeling slightly woozy from it. Aside from that, any attempt at movement sent threads of pain running down the deep gash that crossed his chest - he couldn't so much as stand without help. It was dreadfully uncomfortable, not to mention inconvenient. 

One of the inconveniences was having to look like he wasn't enjoying himself too much. 

"Are you feeling all right?" asked Izumi, settling down next to him. 

"Oh, ah... sure. Fine. No problems," he said. 

"Are you sure? You're not getting overheated, are you? It's getting awfully warm out here - we don't want you passing out again." 

"Nah, I'm fine. It feels good, really." 

"Well, as long as you're feeling all right," she said, "but let me know if there's anything you need, just tell me." She tilted her head, giving him a quizzical look. "Are you sure it's not too hot for you? Your face is a bit flushed." 

He grinned sheepishly. For reasons known to her and no one else, Izumi had taken on the role of personal nursemaid to her injured companion, a decision that had gone uncontested by Junpei or anyone else. Ever since he'd awoken last night, she'd been hovering by his side, asking if he was hungry or thirsty or too hot or too cold, and generally making a fuss over him. It made it very difficult for him to look like he was suffering properly. 

Takuya stirred and opened one eye, disturbed from his light doze by their conversation. He yawned, stretched, and ambled over to join the twins. He plopped down between the two of them, earning a look from Kouji. Takuya ignored him. 

"I don't get it," he said. "What's she fawning over him for? She's the one who had to pull his chestnuts out of the fire, and here she is acting like he's some kind of big hero." 

Kouichi smiled a bit. "Maybe you missed something. You weren't there, after all." 

"Oh, you know Izumi," said Kouji. "She's always got to do things differently from everybody else." 

"True," Takuya said. "Still, kinda screwy. How come Junpei gets a girl and we don't? I'm better looking than he is." 

Kouichi smiled a little. "He tries harder, that's why." 

"Hey, what are you boys talking about?" Izumi called. She walked over to join the group. Tomoki and the Digimon looked up from their game to watch her. 

"Oh, nothing!" said Takuya hastily. 

"I heard you - you said my name," she said. "Come on, spill." 

"We were just observing your tender ministrations to our wounded soldier," said Kouji dryly. "I don't suppose it's ever occurred to you that you're not exactly encouraging him to get well?" 

She blinked. "What do you mean?" 

"Well, you're not normally this nice to him," said Kouichi gently. "You don't think he might be a little tempted to... draw things out a little?" 

"You think he'd do that?" Izumi asked. 

Takuya shrugged. "Hey, he's got a cute blonde granting him his every whim. There's only so much temptation you can expect a guy to stand... and come to think of it, restraint isn't exactly his strong suit." 

"Oh, don't be silly," said Izumi. "You don't really think Junpei would take advantage of me, do you?" 

"Not on _purpose_," said Kouichi. 

"You aren't thinking," she said. "Who's cleverer, him or me?" 

There was a pause. Takuya said, "Well..." 

She winked. "Watch and learn." 

Flashing a confident smile, she sauntered back to Junpei's side. The boys did what they could to listen in without making it too obvious they were eavesdropping. As it happened, they probably didn't need to bother being subtle, because Junpei wasn't going to pay any attention to them, anyway. 

"What was that all about?" he asked Izumi, as she settled down next to him. 

"Oh, nothing," she said. "Just them being ridiculous, as usual. You know them - always kidding around." 

"Yeah, I guess so," he said distractedly. It was dawning on him that she was sitting closer to him than she had before, almost but not quite touching him - she could see him sizing up the distance out of the corner of his eye. She made a show of yawning and stretching, pretending not to notice as her leg brushed his as she shifted position. He tensed. She giggled. 

"All this warm sunshine makes me feel sleepy," she said. "You picked a good spot to relax. Maybe I'll just have to stay here for a while." 

"Er... yeah," he said. "Be my guest." 

"Don't mind if I do," she replied. "You know... I really didn't thank you properly for what you did yesterday." 

"Oh, it was nothing. Really!" 

"It's not nothing to me. You probably saved my life. It was really brave." She brought one hand to his face, gently turning it so that he was looking into her eyes. "I've never known anyone else like you... someone so devoted and selfless..." 

They were very close, their lips only inches from touching. She leaned slowly closer, letting her eyes slowly close... and then jerked away. If he hadn't been lying down already, he would have fallen over. 

"Oh, whatever am I thinking!" she exclaimed, slapping her hand to her forehead. "We can't be doing this! You're hurt - it's not good for you to get overexcited, and here I am... I am so sorry. I won't do it again!" 

"But-" he protested. 

"No buts. The important thing is for you to rest and get well." 

She got up and walked off, leaving him to slump over with a despondent groan. The three boys beneath the trees shot each other glances. 

"That girl," said Takuya, "is entirely too smart." 

Kouji smiled a little. "Just be glad it's him and not you." 

"Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed. Takuya settled back beneath the shade of the tree. It was kind of nice, really, knowing that these little domestic squabbles were all they had to worry about right now. Maybe they could actually enjoy this vacation, for a while...

* * *

Wisemon was somewhat perturbed. This was not his natural state, since he generally made it his business to know things, and it was annoying him greatly that he did not know what was going on now. He stomped down the halls of the manor in a bad mood, glaring through any doors he passed as if they were personally insulting him by being open, or jerking them open angrily if they had the nerve to be closed. He was so intent on this strange activity that he did not notice the figure that was silently gliding towards him. 

"Wisemon, must you be so noisy?" said a voice peevishly. "It is rude. Really, it is unlike you to behave in such an unruly fashion." 

Wisemon cringed, finding himself under the gaze of his mistress. "My apologies. I hadn't meant to disturb you." 

"You did," said Lilithmon. "I will give you a chance to explain yourself. I advise you to make it a good explanation." 

Wisemon lowered his eyes. "I was looking for Witchmon. I had thought she was in her room, but she seems to have vanished. I was afraid she might be getting into mischief. You know how careless she can be." 

"I see," said Lilithmon. "You may set your mind at ease, on that account. I sent her away." 

"You what?" Wisemon said, startled. "But..." 

"I sent her back to her work. She should have recovered adequately by now - enough to continue watching those humans, at least. Surely you knew that?" 

"I'll trust your judgement," said Wisemon. "Still, I wish you would reconsider. I sense her attention may be wandering." 

"Oh?" Only a slight raising of her eyebrow showed that Lilithmon was interested. 

"She seems to be developing an unhealthy interest in these humans. She's been communicating with them." 

"She would not betray us." 

"Not intentionally, no... but you must admit that she is... easily led astray. It is possible she could be, er, _confused_ by these human children." 

"Hm," said Lilithmon doubtfully. "I will reflect upon it." 

"Don't you think we should take some kind of action?" Wisemon persisted. 

Lilithmon waved a hand. "It is doubtful that she can do anything that would be of any real use to them. She can do no harm. If she tries, she is disposable." 

Wisemon seemed to consider this a moment. At last, he said, "I wish you would consider taking more direct action, milady. I am certain you could destroy them all easily, without all this wasting of resources." 

It was Lilithmon's turn to consider. At last, she asked, "Where are they now?" 

"In the mountains, on the border between the continents of Earth and Light." 

"Very well, then. I will give you one more chance to eliminate this hazard. If you are unsuccessful, I will think of something myself. I do not wish to draw attention to myself, but there are many ways in which a small number of people might die in the mountains without it seeming to be more than an accident." 

"I would feel so much better if you did," he said. 

"Nevertheless, you will do your best to take care of it yourself, won't you?" 

"Of course," said Wisemon quickly. "I only meant to say that I'm sure you could do it so much better." 

"Of course," said Lilithmon. "I could do everything better, but there is little point in ruling if I must do everything myself. I will delegate the task to you for the time being. If I am forced to do anything to reveal my position, you will be dealt with accordingly." 

Wisemon bowed. "I will do my best, milady." 

"See that you do... and be quiet about it, this time." 

Lilithmon slipped away, presumably to return to her chambers and her studies. Wisemon departed in the opposite direction, feeling concerned and uplifted in roughly equal portions. This was the first time in eons that Lilithmon had stated even tentatively that she might reach out beyond the boundaries of her small domain. It was the kind of thing Wisemon had dreamed about for most of his life, and it thrilled him to know that her time might finally be at hand. On the other hand, he had spent most of his life avoiding any serious punishment, through a combination of skill, luck, and a bit of subtle bribery. He did not want to ruin that record now. When you worked for a Digimon whose idea of even minor punishments came in the form of excruciating pain, it didn't pay to take chances. He would have to manage this situation very delicately indeed. 

"I can't send just anyone, then," he mused. "I will have to arrange for something special, this time around..."

* * *

Witchmon slunk through the trees. If she had been any kind of canine creature, she would have had her tail between her legs. As it was, Cat was slinking along behind her with his ears pinned against his head, reflecting her annoyance. She hated having to do this, but there really weren't many other choices. 

At least luck of some sort was guiding her. She had been blundering around the mountains for about an hour, and it was possible that she could have taken any number of wrong turns in the process. Had she been on fairly level ground, it was very likely that she would have, but things were different in the mountains. There was only one major road in this area, and it was bounded by either steep cliffs or equally steep precipices, neither of which was conductive to getting off track. As it was, Witchmon was able to find her way to the crossroads with minimal difficulty. There were a few small trees and a bit of shrubbery screening her from view, and she was able to creep quite close to the children without them realizing she was there.   
  
At least, that was their intention. 

"Is it just me," said Kouji, "or does anyone else get the feeling we're being watched?" 

"You're just paranoid, as usual," said Takuya lazily. 

"No, I'm getting it, too," Kouichi said. "There's somebody here besides us." 

He turned and stared suspiciously into the clump of trees. Everyone else followed his example, except for Neemon, who simply blinked in puzzlement. Kouji got to his feet, reaching for the Staff and clutching it defensively. 

"All right, whoever you are," he barked. "We know you're there, so come out and show yourself. If you're not looking for trouble, we won't do you any harm. Otherwise, you'll have the Legendary Warriors to contend with!" 

There was a long pause. Then, finally, Witchmon came shuffling guiltily out of the shadows, her hands folded behind her back. Everyone relaxed. 

"Oh, it's just you again," said Kouichi, relaxing. "We thought it was someone dangerous." 

Witchmon pouted. "I am dangerous. I'm a trusted servant of Lady Lilithmon." 

"You have a twig in your hair," said Izumi. 

"Hm? Oh." Witchmon ran her fingers through her hair and pulled out a clump of pine needles. "Gee. Where did that come from?" 

"So, what are you doing here this time?" asked Kouji, still tensed. "Looking for trouble, as usual, I'm sure." 

"No!" said Witchmon. "Well, not exactly. I mean... I'm already in trouble, and I didn't think I could get into any more, so..." 

"Spit it out already!" Takuya interjected. 

Witchmon's face fell. Slowly, she brought her hands into view. They were clutching the splintered remains of her broomstick, which had been snapped in two, presumably after a high-speed collision with something. 

"It broke," she said. 

"We can see that," said Tomoki. "What happened? Did your brakes give out?" 

"It doesn't exactly have breaks," Witchmon said indistinctly. "It's just... I was going around a corner... and I couldn't see what was up ahead... and I guess I took it too fast..." 

"And you had a wreck," Takuya finished. "Kinda reminds me of the first time someone convinced me to get on a skateboard." 

"So why come to us?" Junpei asked. "We're not exactly on friendly terms, are we?" 

"I know," said Witchmon guiltily, "but I couldn't think of anything else to do. I mean, I could tell Wisemon, but he'd just yell at me, and I'd get in trouble with Lilithmon again, and I don't want to do that again." 

There was genuine fear in her eyes as she spoke. Kouichi sighed. 

"Put that thing down," he said to Kouji, gesturing at the Staff. "She's not going to attack us." 

"What makes you so sure?" Kouji asked, but he did put it down. 

In a low voice, Kouichi replied, "Anyone who is more afraid of her allies than her enemies deserves our pity." 

Kouji shook his head. "Okay, okay. But I'm still keeping an eye on her." 

"So we're going to help her?" asked Tomoki. 

"It looks like it," said Izumi, not entirely approvingly, "though I can't imagine how. It's not like any of us have any spare magical brooms in our pockets... or even ordinary ones." 

"Yeah, that's not exactly the kind of magic I can do," Junpei said. 

There was a pause. Then Takuya said, "I have some duct tape." 

Everyone looked at him. 

"Duct... tape?" repeated Bokomon, as if Takuya was speaking a foreign language. "And what, pray tell, is that?" 

"Oh, _come on_!" said Takuya. "Don't they have duct tape in the Digital World? Geez, how do you get by without it?" 

"I don't know," answered Neemon honestly. "What is it?" 

"It's... it's duct tape!" Takuya said. "You can fix _anything_ with duct tape. Even magic brooms, maybe." 

Witchmon's face lit up. "Really? You think so?" 

"We can give it a try," said Takuya. "Hey, Tomoki - come here and give me a hand, would you?" 

"Sure," Tomoki said. 

Takuya raided his bag and victoriously produced a fat roll of silver tape. Tomoki collected the shards of the broomstick from Witchmon, and the two boys settled down on a clear patch of ground to consult with each other on the best strategy for fixing it. Witchmon watched for a while, but her attention span was not very long, and she quickly lost interest and began wandering idly around the campsite. The children, who were naturally keeping a close eye on her, were surprised to find her gravitating towards Neemon. He wasn't normally very conversational, but he seemed to like Witchmon for some reason, and the two of them were soon chatting sociably. Bokomon looked mildly jealous. 

"You two seem to be hitting it off," said Kouichi to Witchmon. 

"I like Neemons," said Witchmon. "I used to be one, before I evolved." 

Neemon looked mildly shocked. 

"Really?" asked Kouichi. 

She nodded. "Yes. Lilithmon had to do all kinds of things to make sure I'd evolve properly. It wasn't very much fun." 

Kouichi looked from Witchmon's blank, innocent expression, then looked at Neemon, and looked back at her again. 

"You know," he said slowly, "I almost see the resemblance." 

"You mean Neemon might evolve into something like her?" asked Junpei. 

Neemon squeaked and looked dismayed. Bokomon shrugged. 

"It's been known to happen," he said. 

Neemon looked suspiciously at Witchmon, as if he thought she might be contagious. Izumi giggled. 

"I don't wanna turn into a girl," he muttered. 

"I don't see why not," Izumi teased. "It might be an improvement!" 

"There!" said Takuya proudly. "All done!" 

Tomoki illustrated by holding up Witchmon's broom. It was now in one piece, and most of its shaft had been wound about with silver tape. It gleamed dully in the sunlight. Witchmon picked it up and studied it, a smile spreading across her face. When she let it loose, it hovered a few feet off the ground, bobbing gently as if it floated on water. She beamed. 

"You fixed it!" she said. "And now I won't get splinters from it anymore." 

"I think we improved it," said Tomoki, admiring his handiwork. He'd always been good at putting things back together. 

"Looks good," Junpei agreed. "Kind of high-tech." 

"Thank you so much," said Witchmon. "I don't know how to thank you." 

"I suppose telling your friends to leave us alone and mind their own business be too much to ask?" said Kouji dryly. 

Witchmon blushed. "Sorry. It wouldn't work. Nobody listens to me, anyway." 

"What do they want with us, anyway?" asked Takuya. "If you'd leave us alone, we'd leave you alone. We aren't looking for trouble." 

"That doesn't make any difference," said Witchmon. "Lilithmon wants you stopped - and I don't really know why, so don't bother asking." 

"So basically you're trying to kill us because someone you don't even like told you to, for reasons you don't understand," Kouji summed up. "Does anyone but me think that's stupid?" 

"I have an obligation," said Witchmon. "Wisemon's my brother - I have to obey him. And Lilithmon took me in and taught me magic, and I have to do what she says, because... oh, you just don't understand!" 

She leaped onto her broomstick and shot off into the sky, with Cat clinging desperately to the end. The others watched her in startled silence. 

"And that, Kouji," said Takuya at last, "is why you've never had a girlfriend." 

"Oh, shut up," said Kouji. "Anyway, neither have you." 

"Yeah, but I never sent a girl running off crying." 

"You be quiet," said Kouichi. "It wasn't Kouji's fault. She was keyed up to begin with. It probably took all the courage she had just to come here and ask us for help." 

"I wonder what she's really afraid of," Tomoki murmured. "Us? Or that Lilithmon?" 

"I'm really starting to wonder about that woman," Kouji said. "If she's that bad to have on your side, I don't like to think what she'd be like as an enemy." 

"Personally, I know all I want to know about her," said Takuya, "and I don't feel like getting to know her any better. Besides, if the worst she has to send at us are people like Witchmon, we're probably safe." 

"Witchmon seems to thinks she's a serious threat," Izumi pointed out. 

Takuya brushed the comment away. "A six year old kid with a slingshot would be a serious threat to Witchmon. Personally, I'm not going to wear myself out worrying about something until I see a real reason to worry." 

"I sure hope you're right," said Junpei. "You do realize we're sitting ducks out here. If something feels like jumping out and attacking us..." 

Kouji sighed. "I wish you hadn't said that."

* * *

Wisemon walked contemplatively through the dungeons. They weren't as crowded as they had been in the old days, which was a shame. It would have been so much easier to send out a small army, or perhaps just a band of highly trained assassins, and have done with this. As it was, it was hard finding decent warriors individually, and it would be too much to hope that he could find any that would be willing to work together. He peered through the barred doors at the cells' occupants, wishing he had more to choose from. 

_I can't send just anyone. I need something very particular... something just strong enough to be a challenge, or Lillithmon will think I'm shirking my duty... but my duty is to see her return to glory, and she will never do that unless she leaves this place. So I must choose someone strong... but not too strong._

He walked slowly, mentally taking stock of each creature he passed. Many of the cells were empty. Some of the inhabitants were crazed and broken things, of no use for any work save to provide power to Lilithmon's spells when their time came to die. Others were too clever, too vicious... too much like Wisemon himself, really, just sitting in the dark and biding their time while they waited for their day to come again. Wisemon ticked them off, one by one: too strong, too small, too stupid, too proud... 

His ruminations were disrupted by a sudden blow to his back. Wisemon staggered, but he was more taken off-guard than hurt. He turned around and glared, his yellow eyes narrowing to slits, and saw something go skittering through the darkness. 

"Come back here!" Wisemon snapped. 

The thing didn't stop moving of its own accord, but it didn't have to. Wisemon made a quick gesture and flung a ball of light at the moving target. It stopped so suddenly that it lost its balance and fell over. Wisemon marched to its side and stared down at it. It twitched feebly, but the spell that had immobilized it would take some time to wear off. 

"Boogeymon," said Wisemon distastefully. "I had no idea you were still down here." 

The Boogeymon whimpered and made incoherent noises, but the immobilization spell seemed to be hampering its ability to talk. Wisemon simply sighed. That was the problem with building warrens like this - it attracted vermin. Boogeymon had never been one of Lilithmon's servants, but it had been drawn to this dark, dank place, with its many captives to torment. From time to time, someone would make a halfhearted effort to chase him out, but he was usually back within the month, so eventually they'd all gotten tired of the job and just let him stay down there. He didn't do any harm, but it was annoying to have him jump out at one when he was least expected. After listening to it whimper and moan for a while, Wisemon loosened his spell a bit, just enough that it could move slowly. It sat up carefully and shook its head. 

"What'd you hafta to that for?" it whined. "I was just having a little fun. Cantcha take a joke?" 

"No," said Wisemon. "You should know that by now. How many times have I told you not to bother me while I'm busy?" 

"You didn't look busy," Boogeymon protested. 

"Well, I am," Wisemon snapped. "I am always busy. Furthermore, I am quite tired of your foolish pranks. Important things are happening, and they do not include you." 

"Aww, but I'm _bored_," Boogeymon whined. "We never have any fun around here." 

"Our purpose is not to have fun," said Wisemon. "At any rate, whatever our purpose is, it does not include you... unless..." He looked down at Boogeymon, evaluating him with new eyes. Boogeymon attempted to back away, but his clumsy limbs betrayed him, and he fell over. Wisemon loomed over him, eyes glinting. 

"Whatcha looking at me like that for?" asked Boogeymon nervously. 

"You say you are bored," Wisemon answered. "You say you want to have some fun. Perhaps you want to do us a favor, is that it? You want to join in our great cause?" 

"Er... come to think of it, I'd probably just get in the way..." 

"Oh, no," said Wisemon, grinning wickedly. "I think you're just what I need. Relatively powerful, expendable, and idiotic. _Just_ what I needed." 

"Expendable?" Boogeymon repeated. "I don't like the sound of that..." 

"Congratulations. You've been recruited," said Wisemon. "You are going to join our glorious armies of darkness, in a position of great honor. You should be proud." 

"Why?" 

"Because," Wisemon answered, "you are going to have the privilege of battling the Legendary Warriors. Most likely you will die, but it will be for a noble cause. Hold still." 

Boogeymon made a frantic effort to do anything but hold still, but he was completely in Wisemon's power. He dimly saw a snaking line of light moving in the shadows of the dungeon, or perhaps a series of lights, as if uncountable red fireflies were moving in a row. The movement was hypnotic, and he slowly relaxed, staring fixedly at the chain of lights as they wove their way closer and closer and began twining almost lovingly around his limbs... Then he realized what was happening. He had time for a strangled shriek before his world vanished into red haze.

* * *

The sun was setting. Kouji had the feeling that the daylight hours were getting shorter with every passing day. It was probably true, considering that it was autumn of the Digital year, but the fact that it was natural didn't do anything to make him feel better. He had the paranoid suspicion that the cold mountains were blocking out the last shreds of sunlight, bringing on night that much more quickly. He found his eyes irresistibly drawn to the globe of pink light that was dipping behind the jagged peaks. 

"It's getting dark," he murmured. 

"Yep," said Takuya. "It does that this time of day." 

"Very funny," said Kouji. 

"Well, that's what you get for stating the obvious." 

Kouichi, who had been in the process of trying to rekindle their campfire, copied his brother's example and gazed off towards the sunset. 

"You're right," he said. "It is getting dark..." 

"Oh, don't you start spacing out on us, too!" Takuya complained. 

"Spacing out?" Tomoki repeated. He gave both brothers a keen look. Both of them were looking at the sun with an expression that said you probably could have shot off a cannon without distracting either of them. "You know, maybe when Kouji and Kouichi start spacing out and talking about darkness, maybe we should listen to them?" 

"Oh, geez," said Junpei. "I forgot about that stuff. I'm not used to everyone being psychic all of a sudden." 

"Not psychic," said Kouji absently. "I'm just looking at the sunset, that's all... I don't want the sun to go down." 

"Okay, this is getting officially creepy," said Takuya. "Come on, man, snap out of it." 

Izumi got up and stood between the two brothers, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. 

"Kouji? Kouichi? Is something bad coming?" she asked carefully. 

Kouichi was the first to snap out of his daze. 

"I don't know," he answered. "I don't know if something bad is coming. I just know it's going to get dark very soon." 

"And maybe we don't want to be here when it happens," Kouji finished. His eyes seemed to clear, and he glanced around the campsite like a general giving a surprise inspection. "Suddenly I don't feel like spending another night here. We didn't have any choice yesterday, but when you think about it, this really isn't the most defensible location." 

The others looked around. The area was little more than a flattish portion of land where two trails converged into one, with a few scraggly trees growing off to one side. It was bounded on either side by steep slopes, and there wasn't a lot of room to hide or dodge, should something unpleasant come along. A few people looked guilty. 

"Perhaps we should think about moving on while there's still a little light?" asked Kouichi. "We've rested all day, and there should be some moonlight a little later on. We could probably make it a good distance before we have to stop and rest again." 

"Some of us could," said Tomoki. 

All eyes turned to Junpei. An expression of defiance crossed his face, and he managed to half- sit so he could glare back at them. 

"I can make it," he said. "I feel a lot better, really!" 

"Well enough for a hike?" asked Kouji, a shadow of concern on his face. "I've been over the path ahead - it's pretty rough." 

"I'll make it," said Junpei stubbornly. "I've had all day and all night to heal up. I'll be fine. Just... could somebody help me up?" 

"Guess we'd better," said Takuya. 

He and Kouichi stepped forward and gripped Junpei by his outstretched arms. 

"Upsidaisy!" said Kouichi. 

"Heavy daisy," Takuya muttered. 

"That was uncalled for," said Izumi. 

"Oh, yeah? Then you carry him," Takuya replied. 

Izumi tossed her hair. "I carried him yesterday, all the way down that road, and all by myself. If a little slip of a thing like me can do it, so can you." 

Takuya sighed. "Okay. Note to self: do not try to win an argument where Izumi is involved." 

"That's right. Now you're learning," she said. 

"I learned that a long time ago," said Junpei. He stretched carefully. Lying in one place all day on the hard earth was fine and dandy if what you wanted was stiff muscles. He suspected that if he'd stayed there much longer, he would have set up like cement. The others watched him for a moment, but as he showed no immediate signs of collapsing again, they seemed to decide he was all right for the time being. 

"Okay, troops, let's roll out," said Takuya. "Grab your bags and let's hike." 

There was a scramble to obey. Despite the worried glances from his friends, Junpei insisted on carrying his own things. In the last remnants of daylight, they buried the remains of their campfire and struck out down the path. 

It was perhaps unfortunate that things turned out to be just as Kouji had said they'd be. For the first half-mile or so, the trail was relatively smooth. Beyond that point, it began sloping downward, and the ground became rougher. At times, the slope was broken up into something like uneven steps, difficult to navigate in the growing twilight. Broken chunks of rock littered the path, and here and there, a stubborn tree extended its roots across the way, adding not only the possibility of tripping but throwing deep shadows on the already dimly lit ground. The moons had not yet risen high enough that they were able to do any good - only the smallest of the three was visible, casting pale light that did little more than give an outline to the darkness. Even Kouichi's night vision was no help. He could clearly see the juts and loose stones, but he couldn't guard his friends against every possible misstep. Izumi withdrew the Star and held it out, but it gave only a wan glow, no more light than could illuminate her cupped hands. 

"Are we likely to find anywhere to hide in this?" asked Tomoki. The mirror he carried shimmered faintly in the moonlight, and an image of a black cat appeared briefly before turning back into a reflection of stars and black sky. Tomoki, however, was not looking at it very hard, and took no notice of it. 

"There should be a small valley at the bottom of this slope," said Bokomon. "Very narrow, but better than the trails. I believe there's a rest stop within ten miles of here." 

"That's almost walking distance," Kouichi observed. 

Takuya laughed faintly. "Back home, it wouldn't be." 

"We won't get there tonight," said Kouji. He was scanning the sky, looking vaguely worried. "Not at this rate. I hope there will at least be some tree cover. I'm starting to get antsy." 

"I'm feeling it, too," said Kouji. "Something is definitely coming... in the shadows." 

"Oh, heck," said Takuya, summing up everyone's feelings succinctly. "I wasn't ready to have another fight yet." 

"You might have to get ready," said Izumi grimly. "Do you hear that?" 

The others did not hear it - not at first, anyway. Then the night wind carried to them the faint sound of laughter, a high-pitched cackle. All eyes turned skyward, just in time to see a shadow flit overhead, darker than the night sky, blotting out the light of the stars. The children tensed. The Digimon ducked behind a nearby rock, and Bokomon put his book over his head and closed his eyes. 

A moment later, the shadow passed overhead again, and this time it did not pass on, but began circling over them. Then it seemed to make up its mind, and it dropped with a sudden _whoosh_. 

It came as rather a surprise. The humans found themselves relaxing ever so slightly, lulled by the very familiarity of it, not to mention the silliness. It looked like a cartoonist's impression of a devil, complete with red skin, rudimentary bat wings, stubby horns, a long tail with an arrowhead point at the end, and a pitchfork. It leered at them, showing off a set of shiny square teeth. 

"Well?" said Takuya. "What are you supposed to be? I've seen some dumb-looking monsters, but you take the cake." 

The monster blinked, as if things were not exactly going as it had expected. 

"What's cake got to do with it?" he demanded. "I didn't take any cake." 

Kouji grimaced, stricken by a bout of embarrassment at being in contact with this creature. 

"Lilithmon is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one," he muttered. "Let's take this again. We're the Legendary Warriors. What are you?" 

"That's none of your beeswax," said the red devil, "but since you ask, I'm a Boogeymon." 

"Oh, great," said Junpei. "I suppose you hide under people's beds? Or maybe you just come after them if you don't eat your vegetables." 

"My mom always told me the boogeyman would get me if I stayed up too late," said Tomoki. 

Takuya scratched his head. "I thought it was for talking with your mouth full. Or maybe it was playing with fire." 

"Must have been staying up late," Kouichi deadpanned. "All right, Boogeymon, what is it you want from us? We don't want any trouble, but if you're looking for a fight, you're outmatched." 

"You think?" asked Boogeymon. "Well, maybe I am and maybe I ain't, but the truth is, I don't have a choice. I've been sent to deal with you kids, and that's what I'm gonna do. _Ruby Eye_!" 

His glinting dark eyes suddenly flashed scarlet, and there was a spray of red lights that ricocheted off the stone walls like bullets. The children did their best to dodge, but there was no escaping the bolts. Every one that struck vanished without a trace, but they burned where they struck as if they were blots of scalding-hot water. There were yelps and hisses from the humans; while the lights did little more than leave pink burn-marks on their skin, the pain was intense. 

"Ha! You like that, huh?" Boogeymon jeered. "You ain't seen nothin', yet!" 

"Something tells me fighting this thing up close isn't going to work," Kouichi muttered. 

"Something tells me fighting this thing at all isn't going to work," said Takuya. Tears were streaming down one cheek; one of the red lights had struck him in the eye, and he was nearly blinded by it. 

"Right. Time for a strategic retreat," said Kouji. "Come _on,_ you two." 

Kouji grabbed Bokomon by one arm, who latched on to Neemon in panic, and the two of them were dragged along behind Kouji like the tail of a kite. The rest of the humans followed after him in varying degrees of haste. 

"You can't get away from me!" Boogeymon shouted after them. "I have wings, you know!" 

"Yeah, how about brains?" Izumi shouted back at him, and regretted it, as another volley of sparks shot at her. Fortunately, she had already moved out of range. She and the others disappeared around a bend in the road. 

"Well, now what do we do?" asked Takuya irritably. "Run back and forth until we're caught and roasted?" 

"If you've got anything useful in mind, feel free to share," Kouji snapped. 

"Arguing won't help," said Tomoki. "Maybe we can find a place to hide?" 

"Where the heck are we going to find a place to hide?" Takuya snapped. Tomoki flinched, and Takuya grimaced. "Sorry. I didn't mean to - but we're in a jam, and I don't know what we're going to do about it." 

"Uh, guys?" That was Junpei's voice; something about his tone made everyone turn to look at him. "I don't wanna complain, but..." 

The light was still not very strong, but it was strong enough now to cast a bluish glow over the world. Colors were dulled and darkened, making it appear as if a black stain was spreading over Junpei's shirt. 

"You're bleeding!" Izumi exclaimed. 

He looked guilty. 

"Okay, this is bad," said Kouichi. "We can't run, and we can't fight. What are we going to do?" 

"There's got to be someplace we can hide," said Tomoki. "We've just got to find it before Boogeymon finds us." 

"Where?" asked Takuya. 

There was a flash. All eyes turned to the Star of Guidance, which was just now glowing brilliantly. A pencil-thin shaft of light shot from it, angling towards some point further ahead. 

"Oh," said Takuya. "Well, then... I guess we go that way." 

"Can you make it?" Kouichi asked Junpei. 

"I made it this far," he answered grimly. 

They scrambled up the path as fast as they could go. The beam of light became thicker and stronger the further they went, as if it were something elastic that was gradually contracting. Eventually, they drew near a narrow crack in the stone walls. It was so well concealed by a double-bend that they had missed it in the dark. Now it looked like the gates of heaven, and they squeezed through gratefully. Deeper into the crack, the gap above their heads closed up, forming a narrow cave, just wide enough that they might walk in pairs of two, if they were so inclined. The light from the Star dimmed, but did not go out entirely. She eyed it thoughtfully. 

"Well, I guess this spot is as safe as any," said Takuya, looking around at the damp gray walls. 

"It had better be," said Kouji. 

Junpei didn't say anything, but simply slumped to the ground and closed his eyes, one hand over the gash on his chest. A few of the others watched him worriedly. 

"I wonder how far back this cave goes?" said Tomoki, peering into the shadows. 

"A very long way." 

Everyone jumped. A voice had come out of the darkness. It was female, familiar, and more than a little sulky. Even as they watched, a black cat trotted into the light, followed shortly afterwards by Witchmon herself. 

"What are you doing here?" asked Kouji. 

"Hiding," she said. "What are you doing here?" 

"Hiding," said Takuya. 

"Oh," she said. "What a coincidence." 

"Dare I ask what you're hiding from?" Kouji asked her. "Was it something in particular, or is the world just getting you down?" 

"Um," she said. She appeared to be having trouble dealing with more than one question at once. "Well, I ran away, and I was spotted by a flock of Sheepmon, and they must not have liked me much, because they started shooting at me, so I hid in this crack, and then I guess I must have fell asleep or something. And then I woke up and you were here. Did the Sheepmon chase you, too?" 

"No," said Kouichi. "We haven't seen any Sheepmon today. We're on the run with a Boogeymon. I've never met a Sheepmon, so I can't be sure, but I think the Boogeymon is probably worse." 

"Oh! We used to have one of those in our basement," said Witchmon. "Wisemon never liked him much. We kept chasing him out, and he'd always come back." 

"I wonder if it's the same one?" asked Tomoki of no one in particular. 

"But that can't be right," Witchmon persisted. "Boogeymon aren't very strong. Even I can scare them away if I really, really work at it. You're Legendary Warriors - you ought to be able to fight it off." 

"It's not quite that easy," said Izumi. 

"Why not?" 

"Our friend is hurt," said Tomoki. "We had to get him to safety, first thing." 

"Don't go talking about that," said Kouji. "The last thing we need is to tell her everything that's going wrong. She's the enemy, remember?" 

Tomoki looked sheepish. "I keep forgetting." 

"Who's hurt?" asked Witchmon. "Maybe I can help." 

"How are you going to do that?" asked Izumi. 

"I can do healing magic," said Witchmon. "I've never tried it on a human, but..." 

"Oh, great," Junpei muttered. "Why do I get the feeling I'd be safer back there with the Boogeymon?" 

"No, really, I'm good at it! I really, really am!" Witchmon insisted. "Lilithmon and Wisemon haven't trained me in it, but I'm so clumsy, I'm always hurting myself, so I learned how on my own. I never mess up anymore. It's the only thing I can do right." 

"You don't say," said Kouji skeptically. 

"I do want to help," Witchmon said. "You got me out of trouble this morning. It's only fair." 

"Well, I guess it's up to you, Junpei," said Kouichi. "Do you feel like taking the risk?" 

Junpei thought it over for a while. 

"I guess I don't have much choice," he said. "It's either that or sit here until Boogeymon finds us." 

Witchmon brightened. Cat began to purr softly. 

"You won't be sorry," she said. "Hold still - this won't hurt a bit." 

She held up one hand, and something like a pink, glowing soap bubble rose from her palm. She flicked it in his direction, and it sailed slowly across the room and came to rest on top of his head. It burst with a musical _ping_, sending drops of light in all directions. For a moment, he glowed pink all over. Then the lights went out. Junpei sat up a little straighter and looked himself over, as if he expected to find an arm or leg had disappeared. 

"Did it work?" asked Witchmon expectantly. 

"I dunno," he answered. He rolled up the hem of his shirt and looked. The two shallower scratches had vanished without a trace; the deeper one was now no more than a shiny pink scar, almost invisible in the dim light. 

"Can't ask for much better than that, can you?" asked Kouichi. "Now you've got a scar to impress the girls with." 

Junpei stood up and brushed himself off. "Thanks a million, Witchmon. I owe you one." 

"You're welcome," she said, smiling. Then she seemed to remember something. "But don't _tell_ anyone, okay? Wisemon might be mad at me. He's scary when he gets mad." 

"Won't tell a soul," Junpei promised. 

"Well, I'm glad that's taken care of," said Takuya. "Now we can think about dealing with Boogeymon. Anybody up for a rumble?" 

"I'm in," said Junpei. "I've had a bad week and somebody's gotta pay for it." 

The boys began heading for the door. They were rather surprised to find Izumi trotting up to join them. She intercepted their puzzled looks, and raised her eyebrow. 

"Somebody's got to keep you boys in line," she said. 

"You're going to fight them?" asked Kouji worriedly. "I mean, as Digimon?" 

"What other choice have we got?" Takuya replied. "I'm willing to give it a try. _You_ guys stay here, and get ready to bail us out in case something goes wrong." 

Kouji nodded grimly, running his thumb over the carvings on the Staff. 

Takuya set a hand on his friend's shoulder for a moment, then turned and walked out into the cool starlight. A mountain breeze brushed past him, and he felt a chill prickle on his skin. It had been close and stuffy in the cleft, and the night felt even colder by contrast. He glanced to either side of him; Izumi was gazing raptly up at the sky, her hair tossing in the light wind, while Junpei had closed his eyes in an expression of deep concentration. 

_Inside,_ Takuya reminded himself. He raised a hand and let it rest over his heart, reaching physically and mentally for the power he knew was there. He'd felt it every day, ever since he'd first drawn the fire into himself and become one with it. It was still there, just waiting for him to need it again. All it would take was the lightest touch to stir that glimmer of power into a blazing inferno... 

Heat spread over him suddenly, the delicious feeling of being immersed in a warm rain, invigorating him, and he laughed aloud. He'd forgotten how _good_ this felt, how gloriously free it made him feel. The laugh changed to a victorious howl as Flamon sang his good feelings to the night sky. 

He was distracted by a fizzing noise, and he turned in time to see an armored insect of some sort go fluttering into the air, leaving a trail of electric-blue lights in his path. Blurry memories moved around in Flamon's head - he had a vague notion he knew this bug from somewhere. 

"Hey, you! Come back here!" he shouted. "You know I can't fly, Mushimon!" 

There was a sound of frustration, and Flamon looked to the side in time to see a pixy-like creature roll her eyes and leap into the sky. She intercepted Mushimon's wild flight and crossed her arms. 

"Quit fooling around," she told him. "We have work to do." 

Mushimon sighed regretfully. "Why does it have to be work? C'mon, Choumon - it's such a nice night..." 

"First we work," said Choumon unrelentingly. 

"No," said Flamon. "First you two get back on the ground. _Then_ we fight. Choumon's right - there's something bad out tonight. I can smell it." He raised his button nose and sniffed a few times, and then sneezed. "Ugh, it stinks, too." 

Mushimon looked a bit disappointed, but he, too, turned in the direction Flamon had been gazing. "You're right, something's up. Nuts. I was up for a little night flying... but I guess we've got to do something about it." 

Choumon nodded. "It's why we're here." 

"That's right," said Flamon thoughtfully. He looked at his companions. He wasn't sure, right now, how he knew this, but he was sure of it. These two were his companions in battle, and just having them here beside him was enough to make him feel it was time to do his job. 

"Let's run!" he said, and sprang up the road. 

"It's easier to fly!" said Choumon. She pumped her wings and caught up with him, then sped ahead of him. 

"I can beat both of you!" Mushimon declared, and buzzed into the lead. 

Flamon flicked his tail in irritation, and then stretched his legs and pushed himself into his fastest run, trying to outstrip the others. After all, there was no reason why they couldn't enjoy themselves until they found the source of the trouble. 

Meanwhile, Boogeymon was flapping thoughtfully in the other direction. He had thought to catch up with the children in fairly short order and finish dishing out a thrashing, but he had lost their trail. At this point, he had actually overshot the cleft in the rock and was now almost half a mile away. He had worked out that the group must have hidden _somewhere_, so he was busy backtracking, scanning the roadside for likely hiding places. From time to time, there would be a flash of fire as he incinerated a likely-looking clump of shrubbery. 

"Hey, don't do that!" said a voice. "That's my job!" 

Boogeymon looked up. Sitting on the road ahead of him was an odd little creature, something that was rather more than a dog but a bit less than a human. It was sitting on its haunches and looking at him, idly scratching its ear with a hind foot and looking thoroughly unimpressed. 

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" said Boogeymon. 

"Oh, yeah? Well, how about this?" Flamon replied. He pulled down one eyelid and stuck out his tongue. 

"Why, I oughta...!" Boogeymon tossed a burst of red fire at Flamon, who took it without flinching. Flamon yawned. 

"Sorry, not good enough," he said. "You were fighting humans before. Now you're fighting fire with fire, and it's not working." 

"Well, maybe this will work! _Ruby Eye!_" 

Flamon yelped as he was showered with stinging red lights. He whined and tried to get out of the way, tucking his tail between his legs as he cringed away. As he retreated, he heard a strangled yell, and chanced a look. Mushimon had dive-bombed Boogeymon while he'd been distracted, and the devil-Digimon was clutching at his arm where one of Mushimon's blades had scratched him. While Flamon was staring, Choumon grabbed his mane and began tugging him back towards the fight. 

"You aren't bailing out now," she told him. 

"But that hurt!" Flamon complained. 

"Oh, honestly! Hurt him back!" 

"Oh, yeah, right." 

Flamon rejoined the fray, with Choumon close behind him. They made it just in time to catch Mushimon as he fell out of the air, and they set him safely on the ground. 

"No fair shooting attacks I can't dodge," he complained. 

"Two can play at that game," Choumon said. "_Papillon Breeze!_" 

Boogeymon flinched as a wave of razor-sharp scales swirled around him. While he was thus distracted, Flamon breathed out a burst of fire, momentarily engulfing him, and Mushimon followed up with another round of Jolt Jabs. Boogeymon was thrown backwards into the stone wall, and stuck there spread-eagled for a moment before sliding down into a heap on the ground. 

"Ha! That'll teach you!" Flamon cheered. 

Boogeymon said nothing. He twitched a bit. Laboriously, he hauled himself to a sitting position, then slowly opened his eyes. He raised one hand weakly. Then his hand clenched into a fist, and greenish light flared around it. 

"_Death Crusher!_" he hissed, and Flamon watched the world go black...

* * *

Kouji was pacing. The others simply stood back and watched him, feeling more than usual that the wolf in his nature was just barely below the surface. Witchmon, who after all didn't know him very well, was watching him from a safe distance, looking rather intimidated. 

"I hate this!" Kouji burst out finally. "I should be out there helping, not cowering in a hole in the wall." 

"There isn't much we can do," said Tomoki. "The other three are the only ones up to fighting right now. I know how you feel, though. I'd rather be with Takuya and the others, too." 

"I hope they're doing all right," Kouichi said, staring thoughtfully into the shadows. "No matter how confident Takuya is, we still can't count on any of them not getting lost again. If we lost all three of them out here in the middle of nowhere..." 

"That's it," said Kouji. "It's stupid just to let them walk off like this. I'm going after them." 

He moved swiftly towards the cave's exit, shouldering past his brother and narrowly avoiding tripping over Tomoki as he went. 

Kouichi sighed. "Guess we'd better go after him." 

"What's wrong with him?" asked Tomoki, wide-eyed with concern and confusion. 

"I don't know for sure, but I can guess," Kouichi replied. "After all, I feel the same way. He's not used to being without defense, here in the Digital World. He's been worrying about not being able to evolve anymore." 

Tomoki was scrambling to his feet. "But that's nothing to worry about. I can't do it either, but I know I will soon. If Takuya and Junpei and Izumi can do it, so can we." 

"I know, I know," said Kouichi, smiling wryly. He reached out a hand to help Tomoki up. "But you try telling Kouji that. See how far you get." 

Tomoki thought it over a bit. "_You_ tell him." 

"I will, if we can catch him," said Kouichi. "Let's get moving." 

Bokomon sighed. "Here we go again. Come on, Neemon!" He snapped the band of Neemon's pants, jolting him to wakefulness; in the dark and quiet, he had fallen asleep. 

Witchmon watched the four of them sprinting out of sight. She hesitated a bit, wondering whether it was better to be alone in the dark, or not alone in the dark with one's enemies. Her general inclination to go along with what everyone around her won out, and she scrambled to catch up with the young humans. 

Despite the efforts of everyone behind him to catch up, Kouji was still the first to catch sight of the battleground. Actually, what he saw was a flare of green light, and he looked up in time to see a tubular wall of fire spreading out from the side of the mountain and shooting almost twenty feet in the air. A pair of small flying shapes dodged it easily, but Kouji saw a third creature be struck by it and fall senseless to the ground. 

"Takuya!" Kouji shouted. 

He started to run towards him, only to be intercepted by Choumon. She held up a warning hand. 

"Stay back," she said. "This place isn't safe for humans." 

"But..." said Kouji helplessly. 

"Leave it to us. We'll handle it," she said, and fluttered back to rejoin the fight. 

In the background, he saw Mushimon swoop down and scoop up Flamon's unresponsive body and set it on a convenient ledge. Then he joined Choumon in harrying the Boogeymon. Kouji's shoulders slumped in resignation. There was nothing he could do here, after all... 

The others were surprised to arrive and find him sitting on the sidelines. 

"What are you doing?" asked Tomoki. "Aren't you going to try and help, or something?" 

"I think they have it covered," Kouji answered, grimacing. "Izumi just told me off for interfering." 

"Then maybe this is just one fight you're going to have to sit out," said Kouichi, as gently as he could. "You can't be the hero in every battle, you know." 

Kouji continued to look sullen. He knew there was truth in his brother's words, but the fact of the matter was, he hated feeling so helpless. He _knew_, deep down, that he belonged on the battlefield, fighting alongside his friends, but he just couldn't seem to find the power that would let him. If only he could evolve... but it was no use. On a night like this, the shadows seemed to lie more thickly than ever, pressing in on him and stifling whatever powers he might have. 

He felt an arm resting on his shoulder. He looked up to find that Kouichi was kneeling next to him. 

"Believe me," he said, "I know how you feel. For more reasons than one." 

Kouji started to say something, and then stopped. Of course Kouichi knew how he felt. Not just because they were twins, but because he'd been there. It had been just after Kouichi had joined the team that Kouji and Takuya had reached their Hyper Evolutions, and Kouichi had been forced to loan his powers to Kouji, while Kouichi himself could do little more than stand by and watch. It had to be difficult to be forced to stand and do nothing just at the moment he wanted to help the most. Kouji had not thought about this very hard before - there had always been more important things going on - but now that it had hit home, he felt like getting off the rock he was sitting on and hiding under it. 

"Sorry," he said. "I guess I am being kind of stupid. I just wish I could help. That's not wrong, is it?" 

"No," said Kouichi. "Of course it isn't." 

There might have been more discussion on this point, if Witchmon hadn't chosen that moment to arrive. She came trotting up the path with her dress and hair streaming out behind her, dragging her broom with one hand and holding her battered hat in place with the other. She drew level with the others and stopped, panting and trying to put herself in order. Cat sat down beside her and began grooming his fur. 

"Hi," she said. "What did I miss?" 

"Er... well, there's that," said Tomoki, pointing at the fight. 

Witchmon looked. She blinked a few times. "Hey, that's Boogeymon." 

"You don't say," said Bokomon dryly. 

"No, really, it is," she said. "The one who kept hiding in our basement. I recognize the tear in his left wing. Wisemon gave it to him last year, when he broke one of his viewing globes." 

Kouji shrugged. "Well, we knew he was one of Lilithmon's anyway." 

Witchmon shook her head. "No, no, no. That's not it at all. He's _not_ one of ours. We're always trying to make him go away." 

"So he's a pest to all of us, then," said Kouichi. "Great. I don't suppose you'd consider helping us get rid of him?" 

Witchmon looked thoughtful for a moment, her face creasing in desperate thought. Then she shrugged. 

"I guess it wouldn't hurt..." she said. "It's not like Wisemon and Lilithmon like him, either. They might be glad if I helped make him go away. Okay! I'll give it a try!" 

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, holding her hands out in front of her. 

"_Aquari Pressure!_" she intoned. 

Nothing happened. 

"What?" she yelped. "No! What's wrong? Why won't it _worrrrk_?" 

Kouji clapped his hands over his ears. "Stop whining!" 

Witchmon scowled. She rolled up her sleeves, made a dramatic flourish, and tried again. "_Aquari Pressure! Aquari Pressure!_ Work, darnit!" 

There was the faintest of ripples. Boogeymon staggered a bit as the ripple of force washed over him, and then shrugged it off, as if nothing worse than a strong wind had struck him. 

It was enough. In that moment of distraction, Flamon sat up, shook himself, and realized that his enemy was, for whatever reason, slightly off-balance. He sprang from the ledge and plummeted like a fiery meteor, and Boogeymon was engulfed in flames. Flamon sprang from the inferno, looking none the worse for wear. The flames flickered and flashed a moment longer, and then a ring of data emerged from them, wrapped itself into an egg, and sailed away into the night. Flamon preened. 

"And that takes care of that!" said Mushimon. 

"I did more than you did!" Flamon said. 

Choumon shook her head. "You mean the bit where you passed out, and Mushimon had to save your hide?" 

"Oh. Did I do that?" he said. "Thanks, Mushimon. I guess I owe you." 

"Don't mention it," said the bug-warrior graciously. 

"Hey, I helped, too, you know!" Witchmon piped up. 

The three Digimon looked at her. 

"Where did you come from?" Mushimon asked. 

"I can't tell you _that_," she protested. "You're not supposed to know." 

Flamon trotted closer to her, causing Cat to slick his ears back and growl faintly. 

"Who are you?" he asked. "Are you on our side, or our enemies?" 

Witchmon appeared taken aback by that question. After thinking it over, she answered tentatively, "Both?" 

"What are you talking about? You can't be _both_," said Mushimon. "Try to be both, and you'll wind up being everyone's enemy." 

"But... I'm not..." said Witchmon, looking hurt. 

"Don't pick on her," Choumon said. "I don't think she understands." 

Witchmon shook her head. "No. I usually don't." 

"Well, it's not our problem," said Flamon. "We've got better things to do. Come on - let's get out of here." 

"I hear that," said Mushimon. He spread his wings and began rising into the air. Choumon fluttered after him, and Flamon began running along in their shadow. 

"Hey, wait, come back!" Tomoki shouted. 

"Oh, no you don't! Not this time!" Kouji shouted. "Come back! _Now!_" 

They halted instantly. No one could stand up to an order from Kouji - not while the Staff of Order was in his hands. Slowly, reluctantly, like fish being reeled in on a line, they returned to where they'd started. They glared at Kouji, but he did not release his hold. 

"What'd you do that for?" Mushimon demanded. "You have no right! You're just a human. _We're_ elemental warriors." 

"I did it because I had no choice," said Kouji. "You can't leave until you remember who you are." 

"That's stupid," Flamon protested. "I know who I am. I'm _Flamon_." 

Kouichi sighed. "Here we go again. Why does this keep happening? They ought to remember us, by now." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Choumon. "What do you mean 'by now'? Have we met before?" 

"This is more serious than I thought," said Kouichi. 

Tomoki appeared to be in deep thought. His eyes lit up suddenly, and he reached for the Pool of Knowledge. 

"Maybe this will help!" he said. "Mirrors always tell you important stuff in fairy tales and things." 

"This isn't a fairy tale," said Kouji, "but I guess it can't hurt to try." 

Tomoki nodded. He held up the mirror, bringing it close enough that Flamon could see his own reflection in it. 

"Look," Tomoki said. "What do you see?" 

"I see my reflection. What else would I..." Flamon didn't get to finish speaking before his reflection disappeared, and was replaced by an image of Takuya's face. Then that picture began to warp, changing into something that was somewhere between the two. Flamon recoiled. 

"What the heck?" he exclaimed. 

"What did you see?" asked Mushimon, hovering closer. The mirror obligingly showed him a distortion of his own reflection. He too backed away, dismayed by the uncanny mixing of his own armored face with his human form's friendly features. 

Choumon came forward and took the mirror in her hands. She gazed steadily into it for a moment, her pretty features creasing as she contemplated whatever she was seeing. 

"I know what this is," she said. "Almost. I can't quite get my mind around it. But... I think I'm supposed to be human. Something has gone wrong, though..." 

"You can change back," said Kouichi, trying to be reassuring. "You did it before without even trying." 

She frowned. "I don't remember how. I was too busy thinking about other things." 

"Last time, Takuya and Junpei did it by thinking about what it's like to be human," Tomoki piped up. 

Flamon tilted his head. "Well, if you think it will work..." 

He closed his eyes and forced himself to think about being human, about having hands and feet instead of paws, about losing his horns and tail. He shook his head and sighed. 

"It's no good," he said. "I can't remember. I don't remember what it feels like." 

"Then try something different," Kouji urged. 

Choumon looked up, her eyes lighting. "I've got it. Don't think about being human shaped. Think about really being who you were before. Whatever was important to you. _That's_ how I changed back, last time. I wasn't thinking about _me_, I was thinking about trying to help someone I cared about." 

"You can help us out now by turning back into yourself," said Tomoki. 

Flamon nodded agreeably. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to remember. Why was he trying to be human, anyway? What did he have to change back for? Gradually, images surfaced in his mind. He thought of playing video games with his little brother and soccer with his school team. He thought about his parents chatting with each other over their morning coffee. He thought about his friends - his scuffles with Kouji and bickering with Izumi, Tomoki's unquenchable curiosity, Junpei's eternal good nature, and Kouichi's selflessness. He smiled. There was, after all, quite a lot to be human for. He opened his eyes and looked around. The others - Junpei and Izumi among them - were watching him curiously. 

"It took you a lot longer that time," said Tomoki. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," said Takuya, a little weakly. "That's a lot harder than it looks, you know." 

"That was interesting," said Witchmon. "I didn't get to watch, last time." 

"Oh, you're still here?" Junpei commented. He shook himself. "Never mind, of course you were." 

"I'm starting to have second thoughts about this evolution bit," said Kouji. "Whatever's causing it, it really messes with your brain." 

"You can say that again," said Junpei, looking unusually serious. "I don't know if I want to do this anymore." 

"There's got to be a way," Izumi declared. "There _has_ to be, and we'll figure it out." 

"I don't know," said Takuya. "The image in the mirror... I wasn't just turning into a Digimon, I was _becoming_ one. What if one day we do this, and we can't change back?" 

There was an uneasy silence. When it was finally broken, it was by Witchmon. 

"Well, I guess I'd better be getting home. Or something," she said. 

"Nice seeing you," said Kouichi. "Have a nice trip." 

"Thanks," she said. She hesitated a moment, and then said, "You should go home, too." 

"Sorry, but we've got a long way to go before we're ready to go home," Takuya answered. 

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," Witchmon said. "Things are just going to get worse the further you go. You've already found three Artifacts. That's plenty. Nobody will blame you if you don't find them all. Just... take what you've got and go home, where it's safe. You're nice people, and I don't... I don't want anything to happen to you, okay? Just - just go home." 

And with that, she mounted her broom and took off. The others watched her go. 

"You know, I think she means it," said Junpei. 

"What if she's right?" asked Izumi. "What if we would be better off going home?" 

"We'd have been safer giving up and going home last time," said Takuya. "We'd have been safe for a little while, and then Lucemon would have shown up and wrecked everything." 

"But it's not like that this time," said Kouji. "The world isn't depending on us now. We're just kind of doing this... because we can." 

Junpei pointed at the Staff. "So you want to leave _that_ lying around for someone else to find?" 

Kouji colored slightly. "Well, no." 

"I don't see where there's any point in arguing about it," said Bokomon. "The important thing is, we're in the middle of nowhere, and we're almost out of food. Let's go _somewhere_ other than here, and you can worry about what to do next when you get there." 

"That's about the most sensible thing I've heard all day," said Junpei. "It's no good starving out here in the mountains." 

"I guess you're right," said Takuya. "Come on, let's make some tracks while there's still moonlight." 

He trudged down the trail, wishing there had been a better alternative. He was tired, and also slightly worried, and it did not put him in a good mood for traveling. He wished he could take Witchmon's advice, but his most basic nature resisted. He had started this quest, and he was not going to leave it half-finished, no matter how hard it turned out to be. He sighed softly as he listened to the others fall into step behind him. If there was one thing that could be said for questing, it was that it gave him a lot to think about.

* * *

It was very late when Wisemon found his sister hiding in her room. She was just sitting, staring thoughtfully at the wavering light of her lamp, and had been for some time. Wisemon stood there for a moment, waiting to see if she would notice him. She did not. He cleared his throat, and she jumped. 

"Pay more attention," said Wisemon. "If I had been an enemy, you could have been destroyed." 

"Sorry. I was thinking," she answered sheepishly. 

"That is no excuse. You are not supposed to think. You leave thinking to Liltihmon and me." 

"Sorry," she said again. She hesitated, and then said, "Have you been... watching me?" 

"Yes," Wisemon replied. "You've been unusually active tonight, I must say." 

Witchmon blushed. "I'm so sorry, Wisemon, I don't know what came over me, I know they're our enemies, but they're always so nice to me, and-" 

Wisemon held up one hand, stemming the flow of chatter. "I understand. There is no need to explain. I blame myself for not thinking more carefully about your needs. Of course a young lady such as yourself desires companionship. It is perfectly understandable that you would gravitate to these people." 

"You're not angry?" asked Witchmon hopefully. 

"No, of course not. I would not see my sister lonely and unhappy. By all means, continue your association with them. Just be careful you don't let anything slip." 

"I won't, I promise," said Witchmon. "But... they're our enemies, aren't they? I can't be on both sides at once." 

"Who told you that?" 

"They did." 

Wisemon shook his head. "Well, I am sure they are great warriors, and wise in their way, but I am much older than they are, and have more experience with the ways of the world. You listen to me. You can be on as many sides as you like, as long as they have some common interests. For example, Lilithmon does not wish to fight these children, and the surely do not want to be destroyed. It is to both parties' advantage if they never meet." 

"Oh," said Withcmon. "How do I do that?" 

"Just keep doing what you've been doing. Watch them closely, get to know them, and then report back to me. I'll take care of the difficult part." He patted her shoulder. "Don't you worry. Leave everything to me." 

"Oh, thank you, Wisemon," she said. "I should have known you'd have an answer." 

"Of course. That's what I'm here for," he said. "You get some rest. You seem to have a tiring day." 

He put a touch of magic behind the words, and Witchmon started yawning almost before he was done speaking. She leaned back on her bed and closed her eyes, nodding drowsily, and was asleep within seconds. Wisemon slipped out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him. 

_This is working out even better than I had planned,_ he thought smugly. For once, Witchmon had done him a favor - more than one, in fact. As long as these humans were convinced that Witchmon was their friend, they would gladly tell her all about themselves, never suspecting that she would be passing this information to someone who would gladly use such knowledge to destroy them. They couldn't know, because _she_ wouldn't know. Of course, they would probably get suspicious eventually, when they realized their enemies knew their every move before they made it, and they would naturally blame Witchmon and turn on her. Not only would it be a valuable aid in defeating them when the time came, but it would possibly teach Witchmon a lesson in trying to make friends. 

In the meantime, it was enough that Boogeymon had been dealt with. He really was going to have to thank Witchmon for that; for a moment, he had been worried that even the three Warriors together would not be able to manage him. Now the way was clear for Lilithmon to make her first offensive move in ages. With that pleasant thought in mind, he glided down the hall to deliver the news. 

**To Be Continued**


	9. Mountaintop Experience

**

Mountaintop Experience

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

It wasn't usual for Wisemon to look forward to being punished, but then, it wasn't usual for him to actually _be_ punished. He had spent most of his life in Lilithmon's service, and he knew her moods and motivations very well by now - well enough that he could usually arrange things to fall out in such a way as to make sure any mistakes he made were attributed to someone else, or forgiven entirely. She was far more lenient with him than she had been with most of her retainers back in the old days. Back then, she had many servants. Now it was only Wisemon and Witchmon, with only Wisemon being reliable enough that she could trust him. She couldn't do him any serious damage without losing her one real link with the outside world. Lilithmon needed him, and they both knew it. Today, though, it looked as if a lecture was in order, and he couldn't be more pleased. 

He paused by the door of her study, collecting himself. He may not have had much in the way of visible expressions, but Lilithmon was as familiar with his moods as he was with hers; despite her dreamy manner, she missed very little that went on her domain. If he looked too pleased with himself, she would realize what he was up to, and then there would be trouble. He lowered his eyes and let his shoulders slump, taking on the look of someone shouldering a heavy burden. Only when he was sure he looked properly reluctant did he dare to enter. 

"You are late," said Lilithmon, in her usual unconcerned tone. She could have been commenting on the color of the carpet. Nevertheless, Wisemon cringed, because he knew it was expected of him. 

"My sincere apologies, my lady," he said. "I did not mean to keep you waiting." 

"You have been lax in your duties these last few days," said Lilithmon. "I have come to expect more from you, Wisemon." 

"It may be that I am out of practice," said Wisemon. "It has been a long time since we have had a serious threat to deal with." 

Lilithmon pondered that for a moment. "That may be true. It may be that I have underestimated these children. They seem to have more power beneath the surface than I would have believed possible. It may be time to take more direct action..." 

Wisemon held his breath. This was the moment he had waited for! 

"Where are they now?" she asked at last. 

"Last I saw of them, they were still in the mountains." 

"Good," she said softly. "You will find them for me. When you have their exact location, report back to me, and I will take care of them for you." 

Wisemon heard the rebuke in her voice, and didn't care. He bowed his head so she wouldn't see him smiling. "Of course, my lady. It will be as you say." 

"Very well. Do try not to disappoint me this time." She waved one hand in his general direction, without seeming to look at him. He bowed again anyway, just to be safe, and moved away as quickly as he could without incurring her displeasure. 

_Things are finally starting to go right,_ he thought, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. At long last, his lady would emerge from her self-imposed exile and smite down her enemies, and there was no one alive today who could stop her once she went on the move again. 

After all, there were some secrets about Lilithmon that only she and Wisemon knew, and no one could fight what they knew nothing about...

* * *

For Kouji, it began with nothing more than a faint, almost imperceptible feeling that something good was on its way. He didn't notice it at first, other than as a slight lightening of his mood. He had been walking all night, and his body felt numb and clumsy. His feet ached from pounding on the rocky ground for so long. That was probably what finally drew his attention to the feeling stealing over him - why, when he was so aching and exhausted, did he feel so good? As the feeling grew, his eyes were drawn irresistibly to the east, and he became aware of a change in the color of the sky. It went from gray to pink to gold, and the mountains gleamed in the growing light. 

"It's beautiful..." he said, staring raptly at the sunrise. 

"Is it?" Takuya mumbled. He had his eyes on the ground, watching for rocks and roots. He seemed to be having trouble keeping his eyes open, much less appreciating the sunrise. 

"It means the night is over," said Kouichi, "and maybe with some luck, our enemies will give it a rest." 

"I'd like to give it a rest, myself," Takuya replied. "We worked hard yesterday!" 

"I'm with him," said Izumi. "I'm bushed. My feet are killing me!" 

"I guess we do probably need some sleep," Kouji admitted. Even with the increasing light giving him strength, he knew deep down that he was running out of energy. They had traveled all night without stopping, and none of them had eaten in hours. "On the other hand, our supplies are running low. I estimate that we have enough food for one more meal, maybe two if we're really careful, but after that..." 

"Bokomon, you said there was a rest stop near here," said Takuya. "How much further away is it? Bokomon?" 

Bokomon said nothing. Instead, he snored. The two little Digimon were both sound asleep, one slung over each of Junpei's shoulders. He was quietly bearing his burden, feeling that he had to do something to make up for holding the rest of the team back lately. At least Bokomon and Neemon weren't particularly heavy, but it made him feel a bit like a pack mule. 

"That's not fair," said Izumi. "If we don't get to sleep, they don't, either! Wake up!" 

She prodded Bokomon, and he twitched slightly and went back to sleep. She frowned, seized his elastic band, and snapped it as hard as she could. 

"Ouch!" he cried. "What was that for?" 

"You weren't paying attention," said Kouichi. The rising light level wasn't doing anything for _his_ mood. "We wanted to know how much further until we reach that rest stop you were talking about." 

"Oh. That," said Bokomon blearily, blinking his sleepy eyes. He looked around at the mountains, and then flipped open his book and began checking the information in it. "Hmm. If my calculations are correct - and they always are - we are currently on our way through the pass between Mount Landing and the Untouchable Mountain." 

"Untouchable Mountain?" Junpei repeated. "I don't know if I like the sound of that." 

"Don't worry; we won't get too close to it," Bokomon replied. "The Untouchable Mountain is known for having very steep, slick sides, and it is prone to rock slides in warm weather and avalanches in cold weather. Very few Digimon have been able to climb it successfully, and its peak is so sharp that even flying Digimon have trouble landing upon it, and so it was called the Untouchable Mountain. The pass we're going to take goes over the shoulder of Mount Landing, which is much safer. There will be a bit of a climb, still, but it's safer than passing under the Untouchable Mountain's slopes. Beyond that, it's all downhill from there. The rest stop is located in a valley just beyond our sight." 

He pointed, and the others raised their eyes. Framed against the rising sun were two mountains. One was a wicked looking thing with a sharp, jagged point that looked needle-thin from a distance. The other had a flat top and rounded sides. There was a curved lump on one side that could only be the shoulder they were supposed to be aiming for. 

"That doesn't look like a bad climb," said Junpei. "And once we're done with that...?" 

"Safe haven, a warm bed, and a home-cooked meal," answered Bokomon positively. 

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" asked Takuya, suddenly bright-eyed and eager. 

"You were complaining you were tired," Kouji teased. 

"Yeah, but if it's a choice between sleeping in a bed and sleeping under a rock somewhere..." 

"We should hurry," said Izumi. 

"No kidding," Junpei agreed. "I'm not looking forward to starving up here in the mountains." 

"It's not that," she said. "The wind is changing." 

Takuya gave a theatrical groan. "Not again! Why did we have to come to the Digital World in the rainy season?" 

"I don't think it's going to rain," said Izumi. "This feels... different." 

"Well, it's not going to storm," Junpei said. "I don't feel a thing." 

"It's not going to rain," said Tomoki. There was something in his voice that made everyone turn to stare at him. His expression had gone strangely blank. "It's going to snow." 

"Is it?" said Kouji. "That's odd. It doesn't seem cold enough to snow... and I don't see any clouds." 

"I know," Tomoki answered, "but it's going to snow anyway. It's really weird. I can feel it coming, like a big avalanche. I don't like it." 

"Guess we'd really better start making tracks," said Takuya. "If we get hit by a snowstorm and get stuck somewhere... Brr! I hate being snowed in." 

"I don't see how it can snow," said Kouji, sounding frustrated. "It's a little cool up here, but it can't be less than fifty degrees, and there's barely a cloud in the sky." 

"I _know_ that," said Tomoki. "That's why I don't like it. It doesn't feel natural... but it is going to snow, and snow pretty hard. We had better find shelter, and fast." 

"Well, you'd know best," said Kouji, but his raised eyebrows indicated that he was still skeptical. "Let's keep moving, then." 

The weary team made an effort to pick up the pace, despite their tired eyes and aching limbs. After a few more minutes of this, Kouji made an effort to lift their morale a bit by suggesting they take a snack while they walked, and distributed a handful of dried fruit to everyone. The fruits were very hard and dry by now, and a little crumbled after being carried all this distance, but they tasted all right. A few gulps of water helped, and water was the one thing they had in abundance right now, having filled up their canteens the day before. A little breakfast did help give them the strength to go on. As the sun rose, so did their spirits. They attacked the slopes ahead with determination and even a certain amount of enthusiasm as their second wind set in. Only Tomoki seemed withdrawn. He gazed pensively into his mirror as he walked. 

"You okay?" asked Takuya, drawing closer to him. "You aren't getting too tired, are you?" 

Tomoki gave him a brave smile. "I'm doing my best! I know we'll get to rest soon, so I'm going to keep up until we get there." 

"You aren't all worried about that snow, are you?" Takuya persisted. 

Tomoki looked down. "A little. You believe me, right?" 

"Of course I believe you! I've done it too, right?" said Takuya. "We're all doing it, one way or another. It's getting kind of creepy, when you think about it. I mean... twice in the last couple of days, I've turned into Flamon, and each time, I've forgotten who I really am. I just think I'm the Element of Fire, and nothing else seems to matter. And now every time one of us starts acting like that while we're _human_..." 

"Hey! Maybe I can evolve soon!" said Tomoki, perking up a bit. Then his face fell again. "But I wouldn't want to get lost, either...." 

"You won't get lost!" Takuya said bracingly. "You've got the Pool, right? The thing that shows who you really are. As long as you don't lose that, you can't lose yourself. You're pretty lucky, you know." 

"Hey, that's right! I'd almost forgotten," said Tomoki. He looked back down at his mirror and grimaced a bit. "Whatever I evolve into, I hope it doesn't look like _that_." 

Takuya looked down and discovered that the mirror was showing the goat again. It was an impressive looking goat, as far as goats went, with lots of shaggy fur and great curling horns, and Takuya wouldn't have wanted it to be angry at him. He wouldn't have wanted to _be_ one, either. 

"Wonder what's with that thing?" said Takuya. 

"Maybe it's some kind of warning," Tomoki replied thoughtfully. 

Takuya shrugged. "Maybe we should ask Bokomon if there are any random herds of mountain goats out here." 

"That's what it is! A mountain goat," said Tomoki. "I'll bet that's why I keep seeing it. Something important is going to happen... up there." His eyes strayed to the lofty peaks ahead of him. 

"Somehow," said Takuya, "I kinda hope not." 

For the next hour or so, things started looking more positive. The trail on Mount Landing was broad and smooth, which Bokomon attributed to them getting closer to civilization. Most of the group was already dreaming happily of a home-cooked meal and sleeping with a roof over their heads. Some of them were already half-asleep, giving no more attention to their surroundings than it took to keep walking. It was Kouji who first noticed that there was something odd about this morning - instead of getting lighter, it was growing darker and darker. He looked up at the sky and saw clouds rolling in. He silently caught his brother's attention, and pointed upwards. Kouichi sighted the clouds and winced. 

"They're moving in fast," he muttered. "There must be a strong wind up there." 

"We're going to get some weather of some sort," said Kouji, eyeing the darkening sky. The clouds were roiling and piling up at an astonishing rate, and he wasn't sure he'd ever seen clouds look quite that threatening before. "I'm not sure I believe we're going to get _snow_, though. This looks more like another thunderstorm, to me." 

The brothers looked speculatively at Junpei, but he didn't seem to be acting in any way out of the ordinary. Actually, if they'd known, he was thinking more about his chances of getting a decent lunch than the weather. 

"It can't snow," said Kouji. "It's not cold ... enough... to snow..." 

He trailed off. Despite his prediction, white flakes were starting to float down from the sky. Kouji and Kouichi exchanged looks of dismay as the snow settled in their hair and on their clothes. 

"Aw, nuts," Takuya muttered. "I was hoping it would hold off a little longer... I hate being cold and wet." 

"All right, maybe I was wrong," said Kouji. 

"This is bad," said Tomoki. "We need to get to shelter, and fast." 

"How far are we from the rest stop?" asked Izumi. 

Bokomon looked uncomfortable. "About three miles, as the Birdramon flies, but the trail zigzags quite a bit. On foot, it's closer to six or seven." 

"Now you tell us," Takuya muttered. 

The snow continued to fall as they hiked upwards. At first, it was just a handful of gentle flakes, no more than could dampen the road as they melted. Then the temperature began to drop rapidly, and the wind picked up. The snow fell faster, reducing visibility to a few yards. Now it was piling up on the road and obscuring it from sight, and the path began accumulating a layer of ice and snow. The children found themselves laboring to climb what had been an easy incline a few minutes ago. 

"Maybe we had better rethink this?" said Izumi, or tried to. The wind was biting her to the bone, and her teeth were chattering to the point where it was hard to talk. 

"What's to rethink?" Takuya shouted back. "Either way we go, we're going to get frozen! There's no shelter out here." 

"We might have to make some," said Kouichi. 

"Out of what?" Takuya asked. He waved one hand around at the rocky terrain. There weren't even any trees nearby, only rocks and more rocks. 

They struggled onward. The snow was piling up around their ankles and getting into their shoes. A halt was called while they raided their packs for anything that could be used to keep them warm, and they piled their clothes on in layers and wrapped themselves in their blankets. Bokomon and Neemon were faring the worst, having not brought any spare clothes with them - they had never owned any in the first place. They had to settle for being tucked under the jackets of whoever would consent to carry them. Carrying them was a necessity now, because the snow was starting to pile up to the point where they could barely plough through it on their short legs. 

A strange darkness seemed to have fallen over the world while they walked, and inwardly, everyone was worrying. Kouji in particular was disturbed by the fact that it was evening-dark at what should have been noon. It was a darkness that couldn't be attributed to just clouds; there was something vile in the air that brought a chill to his soul that matched the one in his frozen feet. He glared up at the clouds, that were still twisting and roiling in a highly un- cloud-like way. Watching them move for too long made him feel seasick. 

"All right, this has officially given me the creeps," he said. "Has anyone ever seen the sky do that before?" 

Izumi glanced upwards. "Now that you mention it... no." 

"I knew there was something bad about this," said Tomoki. "This isn't a natural snowstorm." 

"Then what is it?" asked Takuya, eyeing the clouds uneasily. 

"Someone must have sent it here by magic," Bokomon said, from the safety of Junpei's coat. "There are a few Digimon powerful enough to do such a thing." 

"I guess it's too much to hope they're just doing this because they're bored?" said Junpei. 

"Maybe they just wanted a snow day so they could get out of school," Neemon piped up. 

"Somehow," said Bokomon, "I don't think that's it." 

"I don't like the looks of this," said Kouichi. "It's one thing to fight a Digimon, but it's something else to try to fight the forces of nature." 

"What are you talking about? We _are_ forces of nature!" Takuya declared. 

"Yes, but we barely know how to control our powers," said Kouji. "Someone else obviously doesn't have that problem. Someone doesn't want us getting over this mountain!" 

"I read something like this in a book once," Tomoki murmured. 

"Well, I'm not backing down," said Takuya stubbornly. "We're too close to the end of the trail to turn back now, and I'm not going back through all that again!" 

"Obviously not," said Kouji dryly. Instead of explaining, he pointed back the way they had come. The path was snowed under, and even their footprints had been obliterated by the falling snow and whipping winds. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find their way back. 

"We can't worry about that now," said Takuya. "We'll just have to keep pushing forward until we can find some shelter, or until this snow gives out!" 

"Are you kidding? That's crazy talk! We'll get lost!" Izumi said. 

"We're already lost! How much more lost can we be?" asked Kouji. 

"We can't stand here and turn into icicles," said Junpei reasonably. "As long as we aim between the two mountains, I don't see how we can get too lost." 

He waved vaguely at the horizon. The two mountains, one smooth and one sharp, still loomed faintly visible, even through the driving snow. They looked like a pair of gray ghosts, or just the shadows of mountains, but there was no mistaking their distinctive shapes. 

"I guess you're right," said Kouji. "All right. Forget the path. Let's just set a course for the gap between the mountains and hope for the best." 

"You got it," said Takuya. "Enough arguing - let's move!" 

He suited action to words, breaking into a swift trot, leaving the others scrambling to catch up to him. He cast a glance over his shoulder once or twice, to make sure the others were following him, but he couldn't bring himself to slack off his pace. There was something inside of him telling him that he needed to get out of this cold, and soon. It was the same beguiling voice that whispered to him that he was something more than human, and that if he wished, he could change into something that could turn this snow into so much hot water. All he had to do was shrug off this clumsy human form and accept his destiny. 

_I really need to get out of the cold, or I'll go crazy!_

With that thought in mind, he looked back at the others, who were strung out in a line behind him. Kouji was closest to him, using his Staff to find the rough places on the ground and helping his twin over the difficult spots. Tomoki came next, apparently unbothered by the snow or the freezing temperatures - he hardly seemed to feel the cold. Junpei was bringing up the rear, burdened as he was by a pair of half-frozen Digimon. He was keeping a solicitous eye on Izumi, who was shivering even under her layers of wraps. 

_We're going to have to keep an eye on her if we don't want her to freeze. She handles cold even worse than I do,_ Takuya mused. _And I'm not sure I like the idea of what will happen to him with all this snow around. If I'm hearing the voice of Flame out here in all of this, I can only imagine what he must be hearing!_

"Takuya, watch yourself!" Kouji shouted at him. "You're getting too far ahead!" 

"I'm okay! I know what I'm do-" said Takuya, and stopped, because his foot had found a loose stone buried under the layers of snow and ice. He tipped over and fell on his back, and began to slide down the icy slope. He struggled to turn himself over, to find something to cling to, but all there was were stones and loose snow. He continued to pick up momentum as he slid down the side of the mountain like a human toboggan. 

"Help!" he cried. 

"Takuya!" Tomoki broke into a run. Before anyone could stop him, he'd jumped down the slippery slope after his friend. The others watched in horror as both of them fell out of sight beyond the curtain of snow. 

"Idiot!" Kouji muttered. He sighed. "I guess if they've gone, we'll have to go, too." 

So saying, he took a careful look at the slope and jumped onto it, sliding down the side as if he were riding a skateboard, using the Staff for balance. The others followed, if not quite with the same easy grace. Down and down they fell for what seemed like hours, skidding on the ice and bumping into hidden rocks. They were dumped unceremoniously at the bottom of the incline feeling bruised and battered and more than a little disoriented. 

"Is everybody alive?" Izumi called. 

"I'm getting awfully tired of this," Bokomon muttered. 

"Mmph, mmph!" said Neemon. Junpei had managed to fall on top of him. The boy quickly scrambled to his feet, and Neemon gasped for air. 

"Sorry 'bout that," said Junpei sheepishly. "You okay?" 

"I think so," said Neemon. He sat up and shook the snow out of his ears. 

"It looks like we're all in one piece," said Kouichi. "Now let's see if we can find..." 

"Hey, guys, over here!" 

Out of the swirling drifts came Tomoki. He waved to the others. 

"Takuya's over here," he said. "I think he hurt himself!" 

"Great," Junpei muttered. "Just what we needed." 

The group trudged after Tomoki, fighting the drifts of snow that had piled in this crevasse. While it had been inches deep on the trail, here it had slid down the steep sides of the mountains to pile in heaps that were waist-deep in some places. They dug their way through to find Takuya a short distance away, trying gingerly to stand up with the aid of a nearby rock. He looked quite annoyed that he had come to this. 

"Well, you don't look dead to me," said Kouji. "What's wrong with you?" 

"I twisted my knee a little when I fell, is all," Takuya replied. "It's a little sore, but I'll manage. Are the rest of you guys okay?" 

"Fine, other than being stuck down here," Izumi replied. She looked up at the snow covered slopes, slick with ice. "No way we're climbing out of this." 

Takuya looked sheepish. "Well, the goal wasn't to go up, anyway. We were heading to the valley to begin with, so I just saved us a climb." 

"Except now we're trapped at the foot of the Untouchable Mountain," said Bokomon, "and have just radically increased our chances of being crushed in an avalanche." 

"Great," Kouji muttered. 

"On the other hand, the Untouchable Mountain is known to have a few clefts and caves in its sides, so it is a bit more likely that we can find shelter," Bokomon continued. 

"That's more like it," said Junpei. 

With no other option, they trudged forward again. The snow was piled so deeply that it took a major effort to even walk, and the older boys wound up taking turns marching in front, clearing a path so that the rest of the group could follow more easily in their wake. From time to time, a sheet of snow would come swishing down the side of the mountain and splash against them, but it was never enough to cause more than an inconvenience. They marched in grim silence, trying to ignore the bitter cold and keep their frozen feet from stumbling on the uneven ground. Takuya sniffled as the bitter air froze his nose. 

At last, looming out of the omnipresent whiteness, they saw a streak of black against the gray-white mountainside. They rushed forward and found that it was, indeed, a narrow crack in the stone wall. It was so small that they had to get down on their hands and knees to crawl inside, and even then it was a tight fit, but once they were inside, there was enough room for all of them to sit comfortably. They settled down with sighs of relief, enjoying the relative warmth; it was still chilly and damp inside this cave, but it protected them all from the biting winds outside. Their combined body heat soon raised the temperature until it was almost comfortable, if a bit stuffy. 

"Whew!" said Takuya, sinking back against the wall. "I'm glad that's over!" 

"It's not over yet," said Kouichi. "We're just putting off the inevitable for a while. We're still stuck in an avalanche area, and we still don't have enough food to last much longer. If we get snowed in here, we could starve - if we don't suffocate first." He nodded significantly at the tiny opening to the cave. Already snow was piling up in front of it. If the snow continued at this rate, it was entirely possible they would be trapped in this airless hole. 

"We've got to think of a way out of this," said Kouji. "There must be a way..." 

"We'd be safe enough if we could work out how to climb back up onto Mt. Landing," Junpei offered. "Safer, anyway." 

"That doesn't do us any good," said Bokomon. "You can't get there from here." 

"We can't give up!" said Tomoki. "There might still be a way out. If we look, maybe we can find a place where the slope isn't so steep, and we can climb back out again. At least, we might be able to find a better cave." 

"How are we going to find that?" asked Junpei. "If we go back out there, we'll freeze, or get an avalanche dropped on us." 

Tomoki shook his head. "You might, but I won't." 

Everyone stared at him. 

"You aren't thinking of doing something crazy, are you?" Takuya asked. 

"It makes sense," Tomoki insisted. "I hardly feel the cold. The snow doesn't bother me like it does you guys. I'll be fine out there. You guys can stay here and wait for me, and I'll search the area and see what I can find." 

"What if you get lost?" Izumi asked him. 

"I'll use this," he said, holding up his mirror. "I'll make it show me the way out, like we did in the Drimogemon caves. Don't worry," he assured them. "I'll be fine. You'll see." 

Before anyone could stop him, he'd turned and scampered through the opening to the cave. Within seconds, he had disappeared, and the falling snow blotted out any trace of his passing.

* * *

There were people who saw their problems more clearly after a good night's sleep, and then there were people like Witchmon. It was seldom that Witchmon ever saw the answers to her problems clearly, and generally, even when she did, a night's sleep tended to hamper her thought process more than help it. This was because it was difficult for her to remember anything for that length of time. Even if she had things more or less settled in her mind by the time she went to sleep, when the morning came, not only would she not remember what she had decided, she often wouldn't remember what the problem was in the first place. Most of her problems were dealt with that way: not gone, just forgotten. 

Today, however, she still had a problem on her mind, and that was the issue of the Legendary Warriors. In her dreams, she had been haunted by what the warrior-insect Mushimon had told her - that she couldn't be on both sides at once. She knew perfectly well where her loyalties lay. She owed everything to Lilithmon and Wisemon, and besides, she loved her brother and didn't want to make him upset with her. It was true, too, that Lilithmon would likely do unpleasant things to her if Witchmon was caught disobeying orders. On the other hand... 

On the other hand, she had discovered somewhere along the line that she rather liked the Legendary Warriors. They had been kind to her when they had no reason to expect her to be kind to them in return - and every reason to believe she wouldn't, since she admittedly had done her limited best to try to kill them the first time they met. More than that, she admired their courage and perseverance. They had kept going against obstacles that would have left her cowering in tears of fear or frustration. Most of all, they had what she admired most: loyalty. They stood by each other no matter what befell them. She had to admit, if only to herself, that if Wisemon had once again issued the order to her to find the Warriors and destroy them, she would have balked. Perhaps not openly disobeyed, because old habits died hard, but... 

Witchmon was mulling all this over as she made her morning effort to brush her hair. Today was not one of its cooperative days, and she could have sworn one side was tangling itself while she was brushing the other. How she wished she could have Lilithmon's effortless elegance! 

"How long are you going to stay in there preening?" said a voice at her door. 

Witchmon jumped and dropped her brush; it skittered across the floor and disappeared under her bed, where she would be forced to cover herself in cobwebs trying to retrieve it later. 

"Oops!" she said. 

There was a heavy sigh. "Do I even want to know what _that_ was?" 

"It was nothing, really!" she said. "I just... dropped something, but it's okay! Um, what are you doing here, Wisemon?" 

"At the moment, standing out here talking to your door. You might come here and open it." 

"Sorry!" Witchmon jumped to her feet, catching her toe on the hem of her dress as she did so. She staggered a bit, and managed to regain her balance just in time to walk into the door. She opened it, rubbing at her sore nose. Cat twined comfortingly around her ankles. 

"It's about time," said Wisemon. "You know Lady Lilithmon dislikes it when the people around her make too much noise, and _I_ dislike having to raise my voice." 

"Sorry. I don't like people watching me when I'm getting dressed." 

Wisemon rolled his eyes. "You are the only person who lives in this part of the building. Who is going to see you?" 

"I don't know," said Witchmon sheepishly. "Someone." 

Wisemon shook his head. "I don't know why I'm having this nonsensical conversation." 

"You started it," Witchmon pointed out innocently. 

Wisemon pressed a hand over his eyes. "I give up. Let's start all over again, shall we?" 

"Okay," said Witchmon agreeably. "What's up?" 

"Truthfully, I'm worried about Lilithmon," said Wisemon. "I'm afraid I don't think she's exerting herself as much as she might be." 

"Oh," Witchmon said. "What does that mean?" 

"It means," he answered patiently, "that I don't think she's trying hard enough. You know better than anyone how much I would like to see her power restored, and it breaks my heart to see her setting herself up for failure when I know she could do so much better." 

Witchmon didn't know what to say. She tried, "Oh," again. 

"Well, look for yourself," said Wisemon. 

He took out one of his crystals from his sleeve. It was deep blue, but when he breathed on it, it lit up, showing a blur of white. She stared at it. 

"Ooh, pretty! A snow globe!" 

Wisemon looked as if he were seriously regretting this idea. 

"No," he managed to grind out. "It is not a snow globe. What you are seeing is actual snow from a long way off, all right? Make an effort to follow along." 

Witchmon nodded and attempted to look alert. 

"Lilithmon has conjured a snowstorm over the mountains that the Warriors are trying to cross," said Wisemon. "Am I talking too fast for you? Good. Now, look." 

He waved his hand over the globe, causing the image to zoom in on a barely visible crack in the rock. Witchmon saw a flicker of movement - someone inside was clearing snow away from the exit. 

"You see?" he said. "They've hidden themselves away. Lilithmon's powers, considerable though they are, won't hold out forever. If they are able to successfully wait out the storm, they'll be able to dig themselves out and go on about their business." 

He stopped talking and looked to see if Witchmon was taking this in. She continued looking at him expectantly, waiting for the rest of it. He sighed. 

"Let me spell it out for you," he said. "If they can get out of that cave again, that will make it look like Lilithmon isn't powerful enough to stop them. We don't want that. What we want is for Lilithmon to remember her true power. She won't be able to rise again unless we can encourage her to come out of this self-imposed exile. That means we can't let them out of that cave. Do you understand?" 

Witchmon thought a minute. "So... you're saying we can't let them get out, right?" 

"Very good, Witchmon! For a minute, I thought you wouldn't get it. Yes, dear sister, that is exactly what we need to do - keep them in that cave. So, what I want you to do is go out there and arrange a little accident. You should be able to do that. You're good at having accidents. I'll send you out to the mountains, and you see if you can arrange to push some of the snow down to cover up the entrance to the cave." 

"But, but," said Witchmon, "I thought you said..." 

Wisemon's voice was heavy with warning. "You thought I said what?" 

"That I could be friends with them," she answered sheepishly. "I don't want to do anything to hurt them..." 

"You won't have to hurt them," said Wisemon. "You don't have to do anything but block them into the cave so they can't get out. That's all." He refrained from mentioning that if they didn't suffocate under the tons of snow before they dug themselves out, they were likely to die of hypothermia or starvation, or some combination of all three. Of course, Witchmon wouldn't think of any of that until it was too late, and would probably blame herself for letting such an "accident" happen. 

"Oh!" said Witchmon. "Well... Okay! If it will help..." 

"It will help immeasurably," said Wisemon. 

"All right, I'll do it," she said. "Where do you want me to go?" 

"It's too far for you to fly," said Wisemon, watching her sigh in relief as he did so. "I will transport you magically. Here." He handed her another orb, this one bright red. "Use this to tell me when you're ready to come back." 

Witchmon accepted the stone and put it in her hat, where it was less likely to get lost. She clutched at her broom in one hand, and Cat jumped up onto her shoulder. When she was in readiness, Wisemon placed one hand on his blue crystal and said some harsh-sounding words. There was a flash and a smell like burning rose petals, and then she was gone.

* * *

Tomoki walked through the snow, and was not particularly bothered by it. It was a very strange feeling. He had always liked snow, ever since he was a small child, and his parents used to pull him around their yard in a little plastic sled. The whole world became a sugar-frosted wonderland where you could do almost anything: glide along the surface of water, or build houses and people out of ice. Boring patches of grass became enticing playgrounds. Everyone stayed home from work or school for a while and relaxed - there was something about snow that made work take second place to enjoyment. Yes, he quite liked snow, but he had never experienced a feeling quite like this before. 

For one thing, he wasn't cold. He knew he should be, because he could feel in his heart that the temperature was well below freezing, and he had nothing heavier than a light jacket to protect him. Nevertheless, he wasn't even shivering, and while he didn't exactly feel _warm_, he didn't feel he was in any imminent danger of freezing. Actually, he felt that he could have walked through this snow storm in his shorts and t-shirt and actually feel better than he did under all this insulation. He was actually tempted to try the experiment, and it took a certain amount of willpower to resist. 

_That wouldn't be good, and you know it,_ he scolded himself. This was the last time and place to go tempting fate like that! _What happens if you evolve out here? You'll be in big trouble, that's what. None of the others are out here to protect you..._

He shook his head. He didn't need protecting! He wasn't a little kid anymore, and he could protect himself, especially in a place like this. This was his big chance to do something that none of the others could do! 

Determinedly, he slogged through the snow. Its coldness might not have bothered him, but the depth was starting to hinder him. It was already piling up well past his knees in some spots, and just walking was a struggle. The flakes were coming down harder and faster than ever, and visibility was no more than a few feet, at best. He was walking through a world of white skies, white earth, and white air, and the snow clinging to his body made him look like a walking snowman. He held a hand in front of his face and watched the snowflakes pile up in his palm. It surprised him to see that the flakes didn't melt when they touched his skin. He put a hand to his face; his skin was ice cold. 

_This isn't good. I need to finish this and get back to the others, fast, before I become a real snowman!_

He shook himself, trying to clear his mind. He was hungry and thirsty from his exertions, and it was making him feel weak and lightheaded. He tried scooping some snow into his mouth, and then spat it out again. Something didn't taste right about it, but more than that, he was made uncomfortable by the fact that it didn't seem to want to melt. He was as cold inside as he was outside, and he didn't want to think about what that meant. He could hear the wind singing as it whipped through the sharp stones on the Untouchable Mountain, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to block it out of his mind. 

He continued struggling forwards, using his hands as well as his feet to move the piles of snow out of his way. His limbs felt heavy - not from the cold, but from utter exhaustion. He wanted to lie down and sleep. He fought back a yawn as he forced himself to keep going. 

_Everyone is counting on you! Hang in there, Tomoki..._

His foot struck something, and he looked up. Ahead of him was a rocky slope, running at about a forty-five degree angle. It seemed to lead back up the side of Mount Landing. Tomoki climbed a short distance up its side, checking for pitfalls or unexpected slick spots, but it seemed perfectly hospitable. Elated with his victory, he scrambled back down the side of the hill and began picking his way back to the others. 

At first, the going was easy, and he was able to find his way by walking in his own footprints. Even beyond that point, the snow wasn't quite as deep in the places he had pushed it aside, and he could walk without worrying. The sound of the wind in his ears was blotted out by the happy thoughts in his head, as he thought of how proud and impressed his friends would be when they heard what he had to say to them. They shouldn't be too far ahead, now. In a few minutes he would be with them again, and everything would be all right. 

A chill went down his spine, and he stopped walking. What was wrong with him? He hadn't felt cold since the cold had started, so where had this chill come from? Was the power of the Spirit of Ice abandoning him? No, it was something else - the chill of something bad about to happen... 

That was when he heard the rumbling. He looked up just in time to see a great wave of white rolling down the steep side of the Untouchable Mountain. He screamed, but the sound was drowned out by the rumbling of the oncoming snow. 

"No! No, stop!" 

Tomoki held up his hands, as if he could order the avalanche to turn back, but that power was not his. He could only stand helplessly as he watched the snow roll inexorably forward, covering up the trail. Higher and higher it piled, until it was heaped up above his head, an impenetrable wall of whiteness. Tomoki stood helplessly. Little stray swirls of powder snow pooled almost lovingly around his ankles. He only stood and stared, looking at the tons of immovable snow that stood between himself and his friends. 

"No..." he said again, quietly. 

He pressed his face into his hands, and felt coldness. He brought them away again, seeing flakes of white. He was weeping snowflakes. 

Something tore inside him. What good was having power over ice and snow if it couldn't save his friends? Why did he have to be safe from the snow and ice while the people he cared about most were swallowed up by it? Why did his own element have to be their undoing? How could he let this happen? He threw his head back and howled like a wild animal. 

_I can still fix this,_ said a voice in the back of his mind. He wasn't sure if the thought was his own, or whether it had come from another source entirely. It could have been the voice of the wind, or the echo of the animalistic howl that had come from his human throat. Whatever it was, its message was clear: _I can fix this, but not as a human._

Without stopping to think about what he was doing, he began tugging at his clothing, shedding the excess layers. The last shreds of warmth next to his body were stripped away, leaving his skin bare to the sub-freezing winds. A normal human would have been frozen in moments, but he felt nothing but a dim sense of his strength returning. The icy wind sang in his ears. 

_The power of Ice is the power of winter,_ it whispered. _It is the time of rest and the prelude to regeneration, and brings relief from the heat of high summer. It lies in the darkness beneath the earth and crowns the mountains that touch the sky. It adorns the planets in the most distant reaches of the universe. It is deep, wise, and steady. The Ice is in you, and you are Ice!_

"The Ice is in me," he repeated, softly as falling snowflakes. "_I am Ice!_" 

The wind whipped up to frenzy force, momentarily obscuring the boy in a cloud of whirling snowflakes so dense that they seemed to have rubbed him out entirely. Then they settled, and where there had once been a human boy, there sat something else entirely. It had a round body covered in snowy white fur with blue speckles on its back, and it walked on four short legs with heavy paws. Its face was bearlike, with a short muzzle and rounded ears. Oddly enough, it was also wearing what appeared to be snowshoes, and a pair of tubular metal devices was strapped to its back. The beast rose up on its hind feet and howled again, victoriously. 

"Finally!" he said. "Out at last!" 

He shook himself, freeing the light coating of snow that had settled on his fur. Then he sized up his situation. On the one hand was a great mountain of snow and ice - too much for even him to plough through. That wouldn't be any fun, anyway. On the other hand, however, were interesting trails and slopes and drifts to play in. That was much more exciting. Laughing to himself, the little Digimon trundled off into the storm.

* * *

It was very cold in the cave. There was only so much a collection of five humans and two small Digimon could do to warm the roots of the mountain, and even with their breath rising up in steamy clouds around them, the air was still chilly. Takuya swore that the temperature was continuing to drop, both inside and out. No one seemed inclined to disagree with his analysis - mostly because they were too busy trying to keep themselves warm. The floor and walls were icy cold, not to mention a bit damp, and were hardly comfortable to sit on, but they were too exhausted to stand. Instead, they huddled together in a tight knot, with what clothing and blankets they could pull together thrown over them to hold in the heat. Nevertheless, a few of them still shivered. Cold and lack of sleep was preying on all of them; Izumi in particular kept nodding off and coming awake again with a jolt. 

"Quit doing that!" said Junpei, sounding close to panic. "You're going to get - hypothermica, or whatever they call it." 

"I don't think that's quite it," said Kouichi. "You're right, though. We're not going to last long, at this rate." 

"I'm okay, really," Izumi protested. Her voice sounded a bit faint. "I'm just sleepy, that's all." 

"I hope Tomoki is okay," Takuya said. "What if an avalanche falls on him while he's out there? We shouldn't have let him go." 

"He'll be okay," said Kouji bracingly. His voice sounded steady and confident, unusually so for the often-pessimistic Warrior of Light. "He'd never let us down. He's a lot stronger than he was the first time we met him. And he's also right that he has the best chance out of any of us at surviving in this blizzard." 

"Yeah, but to let him go alone?" asked Takuya. "That's crazy. Someone should have gone with you." 

"Not you," said Izumi, showing a flash of her usual spirit. "You're almost as bad about the cold as I am." 

"Yeah, I guess you're right." There was a thoughtful pause. Takuya shifted around a bit, trying to find some way of sitting that didn't freeze some part of his anatomy, and chafed his hands together. His fingers ached with the cold. He tucked them under his arms. 

"Y'know," he said at last, "I just thought - has anyone but me noticed that Tomoki is being a little more reckless than usual?" 

"You mean, with this going out into the storm?" asked Kouichi. 

"Yean, I mean that," Takuya said. "And I mean running off in the Drimogemon tunnels. I mean volunteering to be bait in our trap for Witchmon. All that stuff. He's taking a lot of risks these days - dangerous ones. It's not like him." 

"You're right, it's not," said Junpei. "Man. I wonder what's gotten into him?" 

"Maybe it's just... you know, being here again," said Kouichi. "I know how he feels, a little. Like, I didn't get as much of a chance as you guys did to be a hero. I started out on the wrong foot, and it's tempting to do something to try to be a hero. Maybe he just wants to reassure himself that he's still as good as he was back then." 

There was a pause as everyone considered this possibility. 

"Well, I just hope he doesn't go and do something crazy," said Junpei. 

"He won't," said Kouji. "Sometimes I think he's the most level-headed one among us. He won't let us down." 

Takuya nodded, feeling reassured. Kouji had that effect on him, which was one good reason why the two of them hung out together, different though their personalities were. Kouji was good at making him see reality, and the reality was that Tomoki was tougher and more determined than most people gave him credit for. If there was a way out of this mess, he'd find it, and if there wasn't, he'd think of a way to make one. 

_But it won't do us any good if we freeze to death before he gets here!_ he thought, clamping his hands over his ears. Even though his fingers were only marginally warm after being tucked close to his body for a while, they burned like fire on his frozen skin. He gritted his teeth and bore the discomfort anyway. _This is ridiculous. I'm the Warrior of Fire! I ought to have it in me to deal with a little thing like the cold._

He pondered his options. He had no doubt that Flamon could have this cave warm as toast in a few seconds, but was it really worth the risk? True, he probably couldn't run very far in here, but what if Takuya got stuck in that form and couldn't get back? True, such a fate was probably better than death, but Takuya didn't relish spending the rest of his life as a Digimon, especially if being a Digimon meant losing all his memories of his friends and his own true self. He hated to even think of something like that, but if it would save the rest of his friends... 

Before he had a chance to make up his mind, his ruminations were interrupted by a distant thud, and what sounded to him suspiciously like a feminine shriek. Then there was an ominous rumble that made his stomach seem to sink. 

"What is-?" Junpei began. 

Then the rumble became a roar, and they watched helplessly as the entrance to the cave was covered in a crushing layer of snow. The white window to the world became gray, and then black, as all light was blotted out. 

"Is everybody all right?" said Junpei to the darkness. He knew it was a rather silly thing to say, considering that nothing had happened, yet, that directly affected them, but he felt like he ought to say it anyway. 

"I guess," said Takuya. "I can't see, I'm trapped in a cave under a ton of snow, and we're probably all going to suffocate in a few hours, but no, I'm not hurt." 

"We didn't need that," Izumi scolded. 

"Well, what was I supposed to say?" asked Takuya. "It's true, isn't it?" 

Nobody answered, but then, they didn't need to. All of them were thinking the same thing: that it would take something like a miracle to get them out of this one, and their supply of such seemed to be running a little low today. 

Still, one had to try something - at least, one did if one happened to be Takuya Kanbara. What did he have to lose? 

_Maybe I don't have to go all the way. Maybe if I can control it..._

He closed his eyes, searching for the power he knew lay inside him. Almost immediately, he felt it leap up, like a fire when a bellows was applied to it. He wrestled it back down. He didn't want all the power at once, just a smidgeon, just enough to get them all out of this jam. 

He was brought out of his trance by the feel of someone touching his face. 

"Takuya? Is that you?" asked Kouichi uncertainly. 

"Don't do that," Takuya said vaguely. "It's distracting." 

There was a faint scuffle, and some muttering that he didn't pay attention to. Then there was the feel of someone's fingers brushing him again, and there 0 was a yelp of surprise. 

"Takuya, you're hot!" said Izumi. "I mean, seriously - you're burning up!" 

"I know," he answered. "Don't bug me about it. This isn't as easy as it looks." 

"Um... what _are_ you doing?" asked Junpei. 

"Kinda hard to explain," Takuya muttered. He was starting to get the hang of this, he thought. The embers had settled into a steady blaze, and for the first time in hours, he felt comfortably warm all over. "You know how it is when I change into Flamon? I just figured out I can go halfway and stop." 

"Oh," said Kouji, who didn't sound entirely enlightened or reassured by this explanation. "Well, I guess... that's... useful!" 

"At least it's making things warmer in here," said Kouichi. "Whatever's going to happen to us next, we won't be cold while it happens." 

"Hey, I just had a thought!" said Izumi. "Takuya, what if you could make the snow warm? You know, melt it. Turn it into steam, even. Maybe you could melt a way out of here!" 

"And maybe he could melt the snow and flood our cave with us in it," Kouji said. 

Takuya chanced opening his eyes. He was aware that he was glowing faintly. He took the opportunity to glare at his friend a moment. "Can you think of any better ideas?" 

Kouji sighed. "Not a one. Fire away!" 

"Cute," Takuya muttered. 

Nevertheless, he scooted closer to the place where he guessed the door was, reaching out blindly until his hands touched something cold. Whatever-it-was hissed, and Takuya felt a cloud of steam brush his face. He pressed forward, feeling snow melting and sizzling into clouds of vapor. Water trickled across the floor as he steadily widened the opening. 

_This could take all afternoon,_ he thought. _I sure hope Tomoki is doing better out there. If he sees this, he'll flip out! I hope he's not too worried about us..._

* * *

There was a cat walking in the snow. It appeared to be looking for something, searching this way and that, whiskers twitching and tail lashing. At last, it pounced on a patch of snow and began to dig rapidly. It worked industriously, throwing up small plumes of powder, until it had uncovered a trace of something red. It appeared to be the tip of a hat. It moved slightly. The cat continued to dig, until finally, the rather blue and frozen-looking face of Witchmon emerged. She gasped for air and began floundering about, attempting to haul herself out from under the snow. 

After a few more minutes and quite a bit more digging on Cat's part, Witchmon was able to free herself, and she sat down on a convenient rock to catch her breath. Cat sat on her lap to be petted, and she crooned praises into his furry ear. Wisemon and Lilithmon didn't know what they were missing by not having a familiar. 

"At least I did something right, this time," she said, looking around at the piles of snow. "Well, almost right." 

She hadn't meant to let herself get snowed under. She had just lost her footing and been swept up in the general chaos, which seemed to happen to her a lot. At least she had been at the top of the slope when all the excitement started, and had escaped having the full weight of the avalanche fall onto her. She worst she had managed to do to herself was get quite cold, and also rather wet, which would doubtless make Lilithmon get annoyed with her again, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She had never quite gotten the hang of any of the spells that might help her in this instance, and the last time she'd tried, she'd wound up setting her hair on fire. 

But she had done what she had come to do, and that was the important part. She looked around at the piles of snow, which were still being augmented by a few small flakes that continued to sprinkle down from the sky. It appeared that whatever spell Lilithmon had used to call the storm was beginning to run out of steam. If Witchmon hadn't come along, the group probably would have managed to dig itself out and get on with the trip, which meant that Witchmon had done a good job, for once. She felt absurdly pleased with herself at this minor victory. 

Except... 

There was something moving around just at the fringes of her field of vision. She blinked a few times, trying to work out what that strange shape could be. Had one of the humans been outside of the cave when she set the avalanche off? That was just what she needed - to have one wandering around loose who could maybe get the others free. Like it or not, she was going to have to deal with this one. She wasn't precisely sure how she could do such a thing, but she knew she had to try. She hauled her broom up from out of the snow, noting that it had held together remarkably well, considering the abuse it had been put through. It must have been that magical duct tape stuff the humans had put on it. Mounting it carefully, she allowed herself to float down to ground level to have a look at what was going on. 

The first thing she noticed was a blotch of color on the ground. She dropped down next to it to have a better look. Sure enough, it was human clothing, but there wasn't a human in it - it was just a heap of clothes lying innocently in a pile of snow. Next to the clothes was a duffel bag, which was mostly empty, but there was something protruding from it that caught her eye. It glittered softly even in the gray light. Slowly, cautiously, as if she expected someone to jump out and accuse her of something, she reached out and picked it up. It was the Pool of Knowledge. 

"Wow," she said softly. 

This, she suspected, was important. She held it up for a better look, wondering what she should do with it now that she had it. 

"Where did this come from?" she wondered aloud. 

The mirror flashed, and Witchmon dropped it. Fortunately, it landed harmlessly in the snow and continued to flash and flicker. Intrigued, she leaned closer. The mirror was showing her one scene, over and over in an endless loop. It showed a boy standing in the snow, which whipped around him until he turned into something else entirely. Witchmon watched it a few times as the point sunk in. 

"Oh, I get it," she said at last. "He evolved, didn't he?" 

The mirror blinked a few times in what seemed to be an affirmative sort of way. 

"Well, now what do I do?" Witchmon wondered aloud. 

She hadn't been expecting an answer (asking that question seldom produced a good one at the best of times) but the obedient mirror obliged by showing her a picture of herself following along after the furry Digimon. She tilted her head, slightly puzzled, but she assumed the mirror knew better than she did. As a general rule, Witchmon assumed _everyone_ knew better than she did. She slogged off through the snow in the direction the furry thing had gone. As an afterthought, she turned back, stuffed its abandoned clothing in the bag, and brought those two, just because she'd always been taught to be thorough, and also that leaving clothes lying around on the floor was unladylike. 

Meanwhile, the Digimon who had been Tomoki a few minutes ago was trundling merrily through the snowy pass without a care in the world. If Takuya had known about this back in his cold, damp cave, he probably would have reversed his wish and started wishing instead that Tomoki was worried as he could manage to be. Instead, he was making his way through the pass with no thoughts in mind except a vague disappointment that the snow seemed to be letting up. He liked snow. It shouldn't go away now that he was finally here to enjoy it. 

He found himself at the foot of a slope, and began climbing up its side. His broad paws were well suited to getting up even the steepest of icy inclines, with thick pads to protect him from the rocks, and sharp claws for digging into cracks. A bit of mountain climbing sounded like as much fun as anything else. He started upwards. 

_Little Brother, where are you going?_

He stopped. He was sure a voice had spoken to him, but he could see no one nearby. And who called him "Little Brother"? He was no one's brother; he was just Samuimon, the Elemental of Ice... but... 

_You know that is not true, Little Brother. Your family is much wider than just those you are bound to by blood._

"I don't understand," said the Digimon. "I don't have a family. I'm just Samuimon." 

_You are more than that,_ said the voice. Samuimon cringed. He had never heard a voice like that before. It was deep as the roots of the mountains, strong as the north wind. It rattled him to his core. Next to whoever this voice belonged to, he felt he was just a snowflake who would melt and fade away at the first touch of the sun. _You are more than a Digimon. You are more than you imagine._

"Who - who are you?" asked Samuimon hesitantly. 

The wind whipped up the snow again, and through the swirling flakes, he caught a glimpse of something looming over him. It was huge and shaggy, with great curling horns and deep, intelligent eyes. 

_I am a spirit,_ it said. _In life, my home was on this mountain, and my presence is still strong here, strong enough to speak to you. Now you must listen, while I still have the strength to stand before you. You are on the wrong path, Little Brother. You did not become one with the power of Ice for your own enjoyment, but to be of help._

"What do you mean by that?" asked Samuimon. "I've always been here, haven't I? And I don't have any friends... at least, I can't remember any..." 

_Then let me show you one,_ the beast replied. It raised its head, staring off at something. _Watcher, come forward._

There was a pause. Then Witchmon came slinking out from behind the rocks, guiltily clutching the Pool of Knowledge. 

_Here is one who would be a friend to you, if her loyalties were not divided,_ said the spirit beast. He turned to Witchmon. _Come here, and hold out the mirror. Then we shall see some things of interest._

Witchmon shuffled forward, looking absolutely terrified, holding the Pool before her like a shield. Samuimon, impelled by his natural curiosity, looked. At first, he beheld only the silvery surface of the mirror, which showed nothing more than the gray skies and reflections of the last few snowflakes that drifted down. They settled on its cold surface and did not melt, but clung there, coating it with a thin rime of frost. Samuimon plodded forward and raised a paw to brush them free. 

He found himself looking into the reflection of his own eyes... but they were wrong, because he knew that his eyes were black, but these eyes were green. His face should have been covered in fur, not smooth like this one was. He wrinkled his snout in puzzlement, wondering if this was some kind of trick, and saw the face in the mirror wrinkle its nose. He held up a paw; it held up a hairless, five-fingered hand. 

"That's... me?" he asked at last. "But that's a human. Why am I...?" 

_That is something you must solve on your own,_ the spirit replied. _You are more than a Digimon - but also more than a human. It is only when you understand this that you will be able to harness your true power. Until then, I will do what I can for you._

The great beast took a breath and let it out in a long, steady stream, something that cut through Samuimon's thick fur like a winter gale. Once again, the mirror rimed over with frost, and then cleared. Its surface now showed a darkened room... or, rather, a pitch-black cave, though the mirror made the figures inside visible. Samuimon leaned forward, trying to see. They were all gathered around a small opening in the cave wall, which seemed to be plugged with snow, all of them digging at it as if their lives depended on it. One of them, who was outlined in a faint orange glow, appeared to be melting through it with his bare hands. Samuimon gasped. 

"That - that - that's _them!_" he said. "I remember now! They were trapped! I have to help them! How could I forget?" 

_You forgot when you became one with the Element of Ice,_ the spirit said. _Such forces are great, but impersonal. They have no feelings, only power. Used incautiously, they will devour whoever uses them._

"How can I stop that from happening? Can it even be done?" 

_It can be done. The answer lies inside, and you must find it yourself. That is all I can tell you._ The beast shook its horned head. _My strength wanes. I will do one last thing for you, and then I will be gone. Mayhap we will meet again someday._

"But... there's still so much I need to know..." 

Perhaps the spirit didn't hear him, or maybe it no longer had the strength to speak. All Samuimon saw was a great swirl of snowflakes that rose up and obscured it, and then he heard a voice say, _"Great Snowplough!_" Then a wave of crushing force washed over him... 

After a few confused moments, Samuimon hauled himself out of a drift and shook himself. A rustling somewhere nearby told him that Witchmon was doing something similar. 

"Ack! I'm all tangled up! I can't move," she complained. "Why does this always happen to me?" 

Samuimon trundled over and gripped the hem of her dress in his teeth and tugged on it. It had somehow managed to get so twisted around her legs that she couldn't stand. A few minutes of work between himself, Cat, and Witchmon got her straightened out and on her feet again. Samuimon fetched her broom for her. 

"Thanks," she said. 

"Thanks to you, too," he said. "I would have been in trouble if you hadn't brought my mirror back." 

"Oh, well," she said, blushing a little. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I brought your clothes, too." She proffered the duffel bag. 

"I might need that later," he admitted, slipping his head through the strap. "Thanks a lot, Witchmon! Now I need to go check on my friends." 

"And I need to go back home," said Witchmon. "Wisemon will be wondering where I am, if I don't get back soon." 

"Okay. See you around, Witchmon!" 

He waved goodbye as she unsteadily mounted her broom and went sailing away. Then he turned and began barreling back up the path as fast as his paws would carry him. He was surprised by what good progress he made. Not only was Samuimon's low-slung body surprisingly fast, but the path had been swept clean ahead of him, as if the entire rift had been scoured by a powerful wind. The ground was now smooth, flat, and covered by only the thinnest coating of snow. He raced along it, making a beeline to the place where the mouth of the cave had been. 

He almost didn't see it. Despite the help of the strange beast, there was still a lot of snow pressed against the side of the mountain, and it was hard to say exactly which drift was the one concealing the entrance. In the end, he had to rely on Samuimon's enhanced sense of smell to sniff out the place where there were still faint odors of human beings riding on the air. He thrust his paws into the snow and started digging furiously. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the divide, five teenagers and two Digimon were also furiously moving snow as best they could in the cramped, dark, and muggy place they were trapped in. Takuya's efforts had managed to generate a great deal of steam, water, and slush, which were puddling on the floor and getting everyone's feet wet. Sitting down was no longer a possibility, unless they wanted to be soaked to the skin, so they were all doing what they could to help with the snow removal. They had already cleared out several cubic feet of snow, enough that one person (or two small Digimon) could actually crawl out into the snow. 

"Hey, do you hear that?" asked Neemon, twitching his long ears. 

"I don't hear anything," said Bokomon. "What do you hear?" 

"It sounds like someone digging," Neemon replied. 

Bokomon rolled his eyes. "That's a big surprise. How long did it take you to figure that out?" 

Neemon started to say something. In the next moment, there was a great swooshing noise, and something came ploughing through the wall of snow and nearly bowled over everyone in the room. All those unfortunate enough to be in its way were thrown to the ground. Takuya caught the brunt of it, and was plunged into the puddle on the floor with a rush of steam. The shock broke his concentration, and the magical heat dispersed. He twitched, groaning woozily, and attempted to discern what had attacked him. There appeared to be a small polar bear on his chest. He pushed it away, and it rolled onto the floor, slumped, and turned into Tomoki. The rest of the group gave various exclamations, comprised of victory yells at realizing they were free, shock that a strange Digimon had burst in on them and turned into a human, and dismay that their friend was now lying naked and unconscious in a puddle of barely-melted snow. Kouichi grabbed one of the dryer blankets and wrapped it around him, and moved him into a sitting position. Kouji went to help Takuya up; he seemed a little dazed after all his exertions. 

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Izumi, eyeing her young friend worriedly. 

Tomoki twitched a little and opened his eyes. "Guys?" he said. "Did I make it? Are you okay?" 

"We're fine," said Kouichi. "Looks like you had a rougher time of it than we had. What happened to you?" 

Tomoki looked around at all of them, then down at himself. Then he burst into tears. 

"Hey, hey, take it easy!" said Junpei. "Everything's okay..." 

Tomoki sniffled. "I almost got lost. I was really going to do it. I was just going to walk off and leave you to... to..." 

Kouji made a wry face. "Ordinarily, I'd ask for an explanation for something like that, but in this case, I think I can guess." 

"So you transformed?" asked Izumi. "I kind of wish I had seen." 

"I'm glad you didn't," Tomoki said. "As soon as I changed into Samuimon, I forgot all about you guys. I would have been wandering around in the mountains forever if I hadn't met that goat thing." 

"Goat thing?" asked Kouji. "I think I missed something." 

"It was kind of like a goat," said Tomoki. "I've been seeing it in my mirror. It looked like... this." 

He held up the mirror so that all could see. Sure enough, the spirit-beast stood there in all his glory. Bokomon scampered forward to get a better look at it. As soon as he caught a glimpse of it, he gasped. 

"Why didn't you show me that before?" he asked. 

"I didn't know it was important!" Tomoki replied. 

"Well, maybe this will convince you it's important!" 

Bokomon went flipping through his book, opening to a full-page spread showing a rough drawing of the shaggy beast. There were words written around it, though they were in the language of the Digital World, and therefore illegible to Tomoki. He leaned closer anyway, and made up his mind that he was going to learn to read that code someday if anyone would give him a chance to sit still long enough to study it. 

"You see?" asked Bokomon. "That _goat_, as you call it, was none other than Ancient Megatheriumon." 

"Um," said Tomoki. 

Bokomon sighed in exasperation. "The spirit of the original Warrior who battled with Lucemon all those years ago. _That's_ who you met." 

"Ahh!" Tomoki said. "No wonder he called me 'little brother'." 

"I'm impressed," said Junpei. "I wish I could meet whoever gave me my Spirit. I'd thank him." 

"I didn't think of that," Tomoki admitted, "but I think he understood. He was trying to help me get back to myself, so I could go help you guys. We talked a lot about this weird way of evolving." 

Kouji's expression turned keen. "Did he say anything interesting?" 

"Not a lot that I understood," said Tomoki. "Only that it's not like Spirit evolving - it's dangerous. But he said there's a way to do it safely, if we could just understand it. Something about being more than just a Digimon, and more than a human..." 

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out," said Kouichi. "If anyone can, it's you! Right, Takuya? Takuya?" 

All eyes turned to Takuya, who, weary from his labors, had fallen asleep on the wet floor. Izumi giggled. 

"Well, he's put in a hard day," she said. "Him and you both, Tomoki. He must be really tired, to sleep in a cold spot like that." 

"I'm cold, too," said Tomoki. "Can I get dressed, please?" 

"Oh!" she said. "All right. I'll be outside!" 

The group scrambled out into the open, dragging a groggy and soggy Takuya with them, so Tomoki could dress in privacy. The clouds seemed to be letting up, and the world was looking like an ordinary late afternoon instead of an ominous dusk. Already, bits of blue sky were becoming visible again. The air felt almost warm. 

A few minutes later, Tomoki emerged, properly dressed once more. 

"I think we're safe, now," he said, looking at the sky. "I'm not getting any more snow vibes." 

"Good. Maybe we can finally get out of here," said Takuya. 

"Hey, that's right!" said Tomoki. "I found the way out! It's this way!" 

He sprinted ahead, using his free hand to beckon to the others, while the other clutched the precious mirror. The others trudged along behind him. 

"You know, he does make a pretty decent leader, sometimes," Takuya commented. "He did pretty well today, in spite of everything. As well as any of us have done so far." 

"You could be right," said Kouji. "So, that's everyone so far but Kouichi and me..." 

Takuya gave him a wry look. "You don't know how lucky you are. It really messes with your head." 

"Yeah, I guess so," said Kouji, but he didn't look all that convinced. "I guess I'll find out soon enough, the way things are going. Still, at least we know there's a way to control them, now..." 

"If we could just figure it out," said Takuya. 

"Yeah," Kouji agreed. "If we could just figure it out..."

* * *

Wisemon had never been so tempted to fidget. Only the knowledge that doing so would probably cause even more anger from his mistress kept him standing still. He already couldn't imagine how she was going to take the news he had to bring her. He was braced for the worst. 

Lilithmon, reclining in her throne, gave him a casual glance, as if he were a mildly interesting bug that had lit on her carpet, one that she wanted to observe a little while before she squashed it. 

"You may deliver your report," she said. 

Wisemon took a deep breath. Best to get things over with as quickly as possible. 

"The humans have survived," he said. 

Lilithmon twitched. For a moment, her face showed an unseemly amount of expression, and she quickly smoothed it away. Her posture eased again. 

"Explain," she said. 

Wisemon did. "They were, as you so astutely predicted, greatly hampered in their movements by the storm you conjured, but were able to seek shelter in a small cave during the worst of the storm. They were briefly trapped by an avalanche, but one member of the team was able to tap into the element of Ice to transform, and used his Digimon form to dig a way out. By that point, the storm's power had spent itself, and they were able to proceed unhindered." 

There was a long pause. Wisemon held his breath, wondering what would come next. 

"So," said Lilithmon at last. "I have failed." 

"It would seem your plan's execution did not go as well as it might have," Wisemon allowed. 

"It has been a long time," she said softly. "It has been a very long time indeed since I was presented with a challenge. These humans have insulted me, Wisemon." She stood up, and her wings unfurled, twisting and writhing like snakes; her eyes flashed. "You were right. It has been too long since I reminded the world of my true power. I will not be taken lightly by these human strangers and their tamed Digimon - or any other living being in this world. It is time I showed them all that I am still as great as I ever was." 

For a moment, she stood poised, head held high, eyes blazing, arms flung wide as if to grasp at the entire world. Then she dwindled again, and became only a darkly beautiful Digimon with her finger pressed over her mouth in thought. 

"But I will not rush," she said. "Haste would be both unseemly and disastrous. I will retire for some time, to think this through. But I will not back down!" 

She swept off, departing to her inner chambers, the rooms where even Wisemon was not allowed. He bowed to her as she passed, and remained that way until she had vanished behind her closed doors. Then he straightened up. He was laughing quietly to himself. 

As he left the room, he found Witchmon standing outside waiting for him. That suited him nicely, as that was what he had told her to do in the first place. She regarded him worriedly. 

"Did everything go all right?" she asked. "I'm really, really sorry the avalanche thing didn't work out... Did I do bad?" 

"No, no," he said. "For once, you did exactly the right thing. Probably more by accident than design, but the fact remains that your bungling has succeeded in furthering my purposes." He patted her on the head as he passed, as if she were a dog. 

As he returned to his own rooms, he drew out one of his crystals and gazed into it. The sun was shining in the mountains again, the snow was melting, and the Legendary Warriors were still doggedly making their way through the pass. They would be in the valley by dinnertime, at the rate they were going. There, they would find warmth and peace and safety... or so they thought. Wisemon laughed again. 

"That's right," he said. "Rest. Build up your strength. Let yourselves think you're ready. My dear, dear children... you're about to find out what you're _really_ up against." 

**

To Be Continued

**


	10. Fog of Emotion

**_Note to Cave Cat:_** I'm sorry you're upset by me not using your suggestion. I've already got this story plotted out from beginning to end, and it just wouldn't work to go changing things that much. If you want a more detailed explanation, you can e-mail me. Otherwise, just take it on faith that I've got things under control, and I'm not just making this up as I go along. 

**

Fog of Emotion

**

**

By: SilvorMoon

**

It was dark. That was all Takuya's exhausted brain was managing to process, at the moment. They had been traveling steadily since they had left the Mount Landing pass, managing to keep going despite the toll lack of sleep was taking on them, not to mention the lack of food. They'd eaten the last of what they had, and were now stumbling along, trying not to listen to the growling of their stomachs, telling themselves that there had to be something to look forward to ahead of them somewhere. Takuya watched the shadows falling over the path with a growing sense that he had been stupid to ever think of going on this crazy journey. 

At least the going was getting easier. They had been proceeding steadily downhill for the last few hours, and were now on nearly level ground. Trees surrounded them once again, in the form of low-growing pine trees with needles that twisted into corkscrew shapes. There were still a few mountains looming against the midnight blue sky, but they were mere hills compared to what they'd already covered, and Bokomon assured the humans that those were the last obstacle they would have to cross on their way to the flat lands. The difficult part was over, but it was hard to be cheerful about that when one was traversing a dark forest that seemed to have little in the way of either shelter or food. 

"Hey! Hey! Over here!" a voice squeaked. 

Everyone looked up. On the path ahead, nearly invisible against the shadows, a small Digimon was bouncing up and down excitedly. It looked like a child's rendition of a cat - all face, ears, and tail. Hopping up and down the way it was, it gave the impression of a basketball that had decided to take its life into its own metaphorical hands. 

"Hey, you're the ones we're waiting for, right?" it chirped. "The humans sent by the Great Angels? We've been expecting you!" 

"What's that thing?" asked Junpei, reviving a little at this sign of a welcome. 

"A Nyaramon!" Bokomon replied. "Thank goodness for that, too! I was starting to think we might have missed our mark." 

"We were looking for this?" Tomoki asked. He tiptoed forward to get a better look at the bouncy Digimon. It hopped over to him, and he knelt to pat it on the head. 

"Yes," said Bokomon. "Nyaramon are a lower evolution of Tailmon, and it's the Tailmon who run the inn in this area. Therefore..." 

"All right!" Junpei cheered. "We're home free!" 

"Not quite home," Kouji said, smiling a little anyway, "but better than being lost in the mountains!" 

"That's right, that's right!" the Nyaramon said. "Follow me! I'll lead you to the inn! Dinner's almost ready!" 

The mention of food was enough to make everyone pick up their weary feet and follow the Nyaramon at a rapid trot. Very soon, they found themselves approaching a two-storey building that seemed to be constructed of the same pine wood that grew everywhere in this area. All of its many windows were lit, glowing a welcoming gold through the darkness. Broad double front doors were open, and the light silhouetted a number of catlike Tailmon, who gazed curiously at these newcomers. 

"Hey, they're here!" one of the called back into the house. 

There was an excited cry from inside. The Tailmon who had spoken trotted forward to meet her guests as they approached the front porch, and bowed politely to them as they arrived. The other Tailmons, identical to the first save that they all wore different colored aprons, gathered closer for a better look. 

"Welcome!" said the first Tailmon. "I am the chief hostess here at this inn. We're all honored to have such great people staying with us in our humble home. I and my family will be happy to serve you in any way possible, so if you need anything, please feel free to ask. We have a stew almost ready to serve, if any of you are hungry, and we already have beds made up for all of you. Unless you would prefer to bathe first?" 

The group looked at each other, slightly dazed by this outpouring of generosity. 

"Oh my," said Izumi. "I don't know which to ask for first!" 

"Dinner," said Junpei, who always knew his priorities. 

"I second that motion," said Kouichi. "I can't sleep when I'm hungry, anyway." 

The general feeling was that a genuine warm meal would be a very good idea, so they allowed themselves to be ushered into the inn by a collection of small furry creatures. The inside of the building was warm and spacious, made cozy by a collection of rugs and woven wall hangings, giving the sense that this building would never be cold even in the deepest winter. This effect was enhanced by a roaring fire at the far end of the room. It was fully large enough to park a motorcycle inside it, if it hadn't been full of blazing logs. Tomoki rushed over to warm his hands in front of it. Merging with the Spirit of Ice had taken a lot out of him, and he had complained that he hadn't felt properly warm ever since. In other parts of the room were scattered chairs of various sizes, meant to accommodate any and all types of Digimon who might choose to stay there. The ceiling soared two storeys overhead, with its reaches illuminated by hanging chandeliers full of candles. A walkway ran around the perimeter of the room, with stairs leading up to it tucked in a corner, and doorways marked where the sleeping quarters upstairs were. The first floor had a smaller selection of doors leading to the left and right. 

"The main dining area is this way," said the innkeeper. "The other passage leads to the baths." 

"That's where I'm headed," said Izumi. "Dinner can wait until I don't feel like something that crawled out of a mud puddle." 

"Don't blame me if there's no dinner left when you get back!" said Takuya. "I'm about to starve." 

"Don't worry, my lady," said one of the Tailmon. "We always make sure there's enough for everyone. Take all the time you need." 

"That's what I wanted to hear," she replied. "Later, guys!" 

She departed down one passage, guided by one of the Tailmon. The rest of the group continued to the dining room, which was quite all right by her. Hungry as she was, she hated the thought of eating when she felt so dirty, and anyway, it would be nice to have a few moments of privacy. The boys were wonderful company, but having to spend nearly every minute of every day with them for several days running was enough to tire anyone out. There were times when a girl needed to be alone. 

Perhaps the Digimon in charge sensed this, because the innkeepers performed their duties with a minimum of talk. The Tailmon Izumi had been following guided her to a large tub full of steaming water, and a number of Plotmon appeared as if from nowhere, bearing bottles of soap and a selection of towels and washcloths. Then, with a final word to call if she needed anything, all of them disappeared, leaving Izumi to attend to herself. 

Once she was quite certain she was alone (even though most of these Digimon seemed to be more or less female, she still disliked having people watch her while she bathed) she divested herself of her garments and slipped into the tub. The water was hotter than it looked, and it took her a while to finally ease herself into it, but it felt wonderful once she was settled into place. 

"Mmm. This is the best thing that's happened since I got here," she said to herself. 

She reached for a bottle of shampoo and began trying to work a few days worth of travel dust out of her hair. It took several rinses for her to be convinced that her hair was actually clean. She had always been a little vain about her hair, and it annoyed her that she couldn't take care of it properly - ducking her head in a cold stream hardly seemed like enough, but it was the best she could usually do out here in the wilderness. It was only after she was satisfied with the results of these ablutions that she turned her attention to tidying the rest of her. 

A sparkle of light caught her attention. Heeding the advice Bokomon had given her, Izumi had never taken off the Star of Guidance since the moment she had found it - or it had found her. Just now, it was the only thing she was wearing. She cupped it in her hands, staring at it. No, that wasn't just a reflection of the lamplight. It was unmistakably glowing. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the group had gathered around the dinner table. The food was simple fare, suitable for entertaining large numbers of guests at once. It mainly consisted of a large pot of some kind of thick stew, flavored strongly with herbs, and small loaves of coarse brown bread. To the hungry travelers, it tasted like the best food in the world, and they were wolfing it down as fast as the servers could ladle it out. 

"Ah, now I feel more like myself!" said Junpei, as he emptied his bowl for the third time. 

"Who did you feel like before?" Takuya teased. 

"Oh, come on. You know what I mean!" Junpei replied. "What have you got to pick on me for?" 

"Probably because you just started your fourth helping," said Kouji. 

Junpei shrugged. The servers, who seemed rather flattered by his enthusiastic response to their cooking, had refilled his bowl without him bothering to ask. 

"Well, I hate to insult them," he said. 

Takuya laughed. "You know, there's nobody I'd rather have with me in a fight, but you can be such a pushover sometimes." 

"I don't know. He could be right," said Kouichi, shrugging philosophically. "We might as well tank up while we can. No telling what will happen to us tomorrow." 

"So where are we going next?" asked Tomoki, looking curiously at Bokomon. 

"Onward over the hills, I suppose," said Bokomon. He was making a vain attempt to eat with one hand and look at his book with the other without spilling stew on the pages. He had so far managed to protect his book, but the tabletop and Bokomon himself had not fared quite so well. "The going shouldn't be quite so difficult from here on in - not until we come to the desert, anyway. The mountains beyond this point are much gentler and more thoroughly explored than the ones we've crossed so far. Beyond them, there is a small village where we can get supplies and information. If we're lucky, someone there will have heard rumors of the Fabled Artifacts." 

"Awesome," said Takuya. He flourished his empty bowl. "Hey, can a guy get a refill over here, or what?" 

Junpei prodded him. "Now who's being greedy?" 

"Hey, I worked hard keeping you all from freezing back there. I deserve a reward!" 

The conversation was broken up by the arrival of Izumi. She had changed into fresh clothing, but her hair still clung damply to her face and neck, and her skin was still flushed from the heat of the bath. 

"There's one nearby," she said. 

"One what?" asked Neemon blankly. 

"A Fabled Artifact," she said. She held up the Star as proof; it was now flashing and glittering urgently, as if it were in training to become a strobe light. "It's got to be really close by, but it's so close, I can't get a fix on it. It's sparking like crazy no matter which way I turn." 

"Well, if it's that close, we're bound to find it, if we look," said Tomoki. "I wonder which one it is?" 

"Which ones are still missing?" asked Kouichi. "I remember the Pipes of Peace, the Shroud of Life, the Blade of Courage, and, um..." 

"The Light of Love," Bokomon finished. "It's said to be the most beautiful of all the Fabled Artifacts. Its light gleams more brightly than a star, and all those who gaze upon its radiance are filled with love and compassion for their fellow creatures. It is said that whoever holds it will be safe from treachery, for no one who harbors the seeds of darkness in their heart can bear to look at its purifying light." 

"Except that it got corrupted," said Junpei, "and now it turns everyone who looks at it into a mind-slave." 

"Well, yes, there is that," Bokomon allowed. "It was corrupted by evil influences and turned into a tool of coercion. However, the one who committed that crime was destroyed some years later, and the Light itself was lost from all records." 

"So it's one of those four," Kouji summarized. "Maybe someone here knows something about it, if it's that close by. Is there anyone here who would know the local legends?" 

"The chief innkeeper would know," said one of the Plotmon who had been serving them. "Would you like me to fetch her for you?" 

"Please," said Bokomon. He fished out a pen and a clean sheet of paper, obviously intent on taking notes. 

The chief innkeeper was brought forth. 

"You wanted to speak to me?" she asked. 

"Yeah," said Takuya. "We were wondering if you knew any stories and stuff that might help us figure out where the Fabled Artifacts are. We think there's one close by." 

"Hmm," said the innkeeper. "It's possible. There is an old story in my family... My great- grandfather was a TobuCatmon, and a great explorer. I've heard my grandmother say that he would often find treasures on his journeys. It's said that he claimed to have once found something more precious than gold or jewels... but he hid it somewhere. I've searched for it, from time to time, but I've never been able to locate it, or even learn what it was." 

"I suppose asking him is out of the question," said Kouji tiredly. 

"I'm afraid so. He died before I was born... or we assume he did. He went into the Misty Woods one day and never came back. My great-grandmother established this inn here in hopes that someday he would find his way back. When she died, she left it to my grandmother, who in turn left it to me. We never did learn his fate. None of us are brave enough to enter the Misty Forest where he disappeared. Even he never managed to map more than a small part of it." 

"Do you suppose that's where he hid the treasure?" Kouichi wondered. 

"It would make sense," said the innkeeper. "Not many people are brave enough to enter the forest, these days. It could have rested there undisturbed for years." 

"Sounds like we're going to have to take a closer look at this forest, then," said Kouji. 

"Not now!" said the innkeeper, sounding distressed. "It's dark out now! You'll get lost." 

"We might not," said Kouichi. 

He and his brother exchanged looks. Kouji could guess what his twin was thinking: that maybe out there, under the thick shadows of fog and trees, he might finally be able to evolve into... whatever he would evolve into. 

_You'd think it wouldn't be so difficult,_ Kouji mused. _Fire, ice, and thunder aren't always near at hand, but light and shadow are with us no matter where we go._

Now, what was it about that thought that felt important? He couldn't quite put his finger on it... 

"No point in risking it," said Takuya. "We're all worn out, anyway. Besides, if we're going to look for lost Artifacts, we might as well do it while there's some light. Otherwise, we might trip over it without even seeing it." 

"You're probably right," said Izumi. "Right now, I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. I hope I don't fall asleep in my dinner plate." 

"Then you'll just have to take a bath again," said Takuya. 

She stuck her tongue out at him and went to seize something to eat. 

"Anyway, the bathhouse is free if anyone wants it!" she said. "No offense, guys, but some of you could use it." 

"Thanks a lot," said Kouji dryly. 

"I'll go," said Junpei. "I was done eating, anyway." 

He handed his empty dish to one of the Nyaramon and wandered off. Izumi shrugged, slipped into his vacated seat, and started eating her dinner. 

"Did I insult him?" she said. 

"Ah, you know him," said Takuya. "All you have to do is mention you don't like green, and he'll run home and throw out every green shirt he owns." 

"I know, I know," she said. "I keep thinking someday he'll grow out of it." 

"Not likely," Kouji opined. "You'll just have to get used to it." 

"I am used to it," she said. "Sometimes it's almost cute - but _don't_ tell him I said that." 

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Takuya innocently. 

"Try it, and I'll haul you into the bathhouse and duck your head underwater!" 

"Not while he's in there!" 

"This is getting ridiculous," said Kouji. "I'm going to my room." 

"We'll show you the way!" one of the Nyaramon chirped. "Follow us!" 

He allowed himself to be guided back into the main room and up the stairs to one of the upstairs apartments. It was a nice little room, so far as it went - a simple bed, a vanity table with a bowl of water for washing, a privy tucked away in a corner, and a window that looked out into the forest. It was nothing elaborate, but it was clean and well-kept, and there was a woven rug on the floor and a warm-looking patchwork quilt thrown over the bed to give it some semblance of hominess. 

He thanked the Digimon politely and closed the door, leaving himself to luxuriate in the first moments of complete privacy he'd had in days. It was very quiet, here. Either there were no other guests in the inn that night, or they were all asleep in their rooms already, and didn't have anything to do that would bother Kouji. He lay back on his bed for a while, enjoying the silence, but he found that he didn't feel like sleeping just yet. He got up and walked over to the window, peering out at the forest. Thin beams of moonlight penetrated the canopy of pine needles, but all they could do was illuminate tiny patches of earth. There was not enough light to comfortably see by. He felt a little stifled, looking at the light that was trying to reach him, but couldn't. 

_Light and shadows..._ There was that thought again - no, not a thought, but that nagging sense of something missing. It was something painfully obvious that he was overlooking. 

Ah, well. Perhaps it would come to him as he slept. He shuffled back to his bed, lay down, and closed his eyes. Soon he was asleep, dreaming of chasing moonbeams through a forest filled with fog.

* * *

Morning arrived, taking away the shadows, the moonbeams, and possibly the fog as well. It brought six wide-awake Legendary Warriors and two slightly less legendary companions, all of whom felt much better for a solid night's sleep. They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and then began preparing to make their expedition into the forest. 

"Do you think this would be useful?" Takuya wondered aloud, holding up a roll of wire he'd found. 

"Useful for what?" Tomoki asked. 

"I don't know. It might be good for something." 

The innkeeper had given them permission to search the storage shed for anything they might find useful on their mission. Generations of peculiar junk had been piled up in there, most of it rusting, broken, falling apart, or generally useless. Some of it was no longer even identifiable. 

"I wonder what this thing used to be?" Izumi said, holding up a peculiar amalgam of metal and wood. "Some kind of garden tool... or is it a weapon?" 

"I think it's something to trim tree limbs with," said Kouichi. "Maybe." 

"Hey, look what I found!" said Junpei. 

He reached into a wooden crate and pulled out a badly tarnished lamp. It was an old- fashioned dark lantern, by the look of it - the kind with a shutter on the front that could be opened or closed to control the amount of light it put out. 

"Nice find," Takuya said. "I bet that would come in handy, next time we're lost in the dark. Happens to us a lot, for some reason." 

Kouji stepped forward to study the lamp more closely. "It would be a lot more useful if it wasn't broken." 

"Huh?" said Junpei. He studied his prize a bit more carefully, but could find nothing wrong with it. 

"It's missing some pieces," Kouji pointed out. "Look, there's no place to put a wick, even. And the door is stuck." 

"Oh, yeah." Junpei looked mournfully at the lantern. "Well, maybe I can fix it." 

"Don't bother," said Kouji. "We won't need it in the daytime, anyway." 

"Hmph," Junpei said. He clutched it protectively, as if fearing someone would take it away from him. "Well, it _could_ be fixed." 

Tomoki peered at it, rubbing at the dust and cobwebs that coated it. "I bet I could rig something up, if I had the time." 

"Keep it if you want," said Kouji. "You'll just have to carry it." 

"So I'll carry it, then," said Junpei. 

"Hey, this looks pretty cool!" said Tomoki. He hauled what appeared to be a sword and scabbard out from a pile of other assorted junk. 

"Ooh, let me see!" Takuya ran to get a better look at the sword. Tomoki obediently handed it to him, and Takuya made a clumsy show of trying to draw it from its sheath. When he did finally release it, it revealed a badly corroded blade. It shed chips of rust as Takuya pulled it free. When he swung it experimentally at a support beam nearby, the whole thing cracked in two. 

"Nuts," Takuya muttered. "I thought it would be cool to have a sword." 

"What would you do with it?" asked Kouji. "Do you have any training with swords?" 

"Not really," said Takuya. "I just think they're cool." 

"What do you think of this?" said Kouichi. "I found a compass!" 

"That's the most useful thing anyone's found all day," Kouji replied. "Good job, Kouichi." 

The door to the shed, already slightly ajar, was pushed the rest of the way open, flooding the area with sunlight. A Tailmon came scampering in, carrying a sheaf of papers. 

"We found the maps!" she announced. "They were under someone's bed." 

Izumi took the maps and began flipping through them carefully. They were drawn on some kind of peculiar parchment that felt almost more like soft leather or cloth than paper. Still, they were obviously old, and she was cautious not to tear them. The ink was faded here and there, but on the whole, they were in remarkably good condition. 

"We'll be very careful with them," she said. 

"Please try not to damage them," the Tailmon replied. "They've been in our family for generations. And if you find any clue as to what became of our great-grandfather..." 

"We'll certainly keep our eyes peeled," Izumi promised. Privately, she wasn't sure what they could expect to find of an explorer who vanished years ago, but there was always a chance something might turn up. 

"I think we've found all we're going to find in here," said Kouji, abandoning his inspection of what appeared to be a box of old bowls and plates. "Let's get moving while it's still light out, and maybe it won't be quite so foggy and dark." 

"It's _always_ foggy and dark in the Misty Woods," the Tailmon said, "but you're right to want to go there while it's still light. Try to be out of that place by nightfall, if you can! There are too many bad rumors about that place to take chances." 

The group agreed that they would be as careful as they could. They said goodbye to the Tailmon and the rest of her family, most of whom had come out to see them depart, and then set out into the woods. 

For the first leg of their journey, they stuck to the well-traveled path that ran in front of the inn. It was pleasant to be traveling on smooth, level ground after all the tromping around the mountains they had been doing lately. Shafts of sunlight spilled through the trees to warm their shoulders, and curious forest Digimon peered at them through the branches. It was easy going, and they laughed and chatted with each other as they walked. 

Eventually, they came to a place where the road bent at almost a ninety-degree angle for no visible reason - or at least, no reason that would have been visible if they hadn't been carrying a map. Just ahead of them was the part of the forest called the Misty Wood, and that was where they were going. They marched resolutely off the beaten track and into the forest, trading beaten earth for slightly damp pine needles and the occasional patch of moss. Beyond that point, the trees started growing more closely together, forcing the group to take a winding path as they worked their way around trees and clumps of bramble bushes. The trees themselves were different here: older looking, covered in moss and lichen. They had a grave, venerable air about them, as if they had witnessed many dire things in their lifetimes, and were now looking disapprovingly down at these young upstarts who thought they could challenge their superiority here. It wasn't long after that when the first tendrils of mist started to drift by. Soon their visibility was reduced to only a few yards, as a cold fog settled over everything. 

"I don't like this much," said Takuya, rubbing uneasily at his arms. The clinging mist was condensing on his skin and soaking his clothes, and he was growing chilled. 

"I don't like it much, either, but this is the way the map says to go," said Izumi. She was holding up the Star in front of her, and it was shining its brightest, as if it intended to pierce the fog by its own power. All it was really managing to do was make the fog light up a bit, so that the area looked spookier than ever, flooded as it was in glowing mist. 

"Which way do we go from here?" asked Kouichi, looking around at the indeterminate scenery. "If I didn't have the compass with me, I wouldn't know which way we'd come from, or which way we're going, or whether or not we're just walking in circles." 

"You're doing better than I am," Izumi replied. 

"Don't say that!" said Tomoki. "You're the one with the map!" 

"I know," Izumi replied, "but it's kind of hard to follow a map when all I can see are trees, trees, and more trees." 

"You're lucky to be able to see the trees," Takuya complained. "Where's all this fog coming from, anyway?" 

"I'll tell you one thing," said Kouji. "I'm _really_ glad we decided to wait until morning. I wouldn't want to be here in the dark!" 

"We'd be okay," said Kouichi. "Even if we did get stuck here in the dark, we could just camp out until morning, and follow the compass back out again. We know roughly which way we came from, and which way we're headed, so even if we get a little off the track..." 

"Yeah, it's not bad here," said Junpei. "It's kind of peaceful. Besides, even Lilithmon and her helpers probably couldn't find us in all of this." 

"Is that a cheerful thought, or not?" said Izumi. 

"It could be true," said Takuya. "Nobody could find anybody in this mess. I haven't seen any Digimon out here, even. Don't we usually see at least something, even if it's way off in the distance?" 

"You can't see anything way off in the distance," Kouji pointed out. "All we can see is fog." He proved his point by narrowly missing a tree that seemed to have come up out of nowhere. He dodged it at the last possible second, and gave it a glare as if he suspected it of hiding from him on purpose. "Is anybody but me _really_ starting to hate fog?" 

"That is weird, though," said Tomoki. "Takuya's right. It's too quiet here. You'd think if there were any Digimon here, we'd at least _hear_ them." 

"I don't know," said Kouji. "It's like this fog muffles everything. I can barely hear our footsteps." 

"Are we absolutely sure we want to do this?" asked Bokomon nervously. "I'm beginning to get a bad feeling about this place. Can we please go home?" 

"Oh, come on," said Izumi. "Don't be such a coward, Bokomon! Honestly, you guys see a little fog on the ground and start letting yourselves get scared over nothing." 

"I'm not scared!" said Junpei proudly. 

She gave him a tolerant smile. 

Neemon had stopped walking. He was peering off at the fog in his nearsighted way, scratching his head and looking puzzled. Of course, his natural expression was one of puzzlement, anyway, but the fact that he had stopped walking was enough to make Bokomon stop as well. He gave his sidekick an annoyed glare. 

"What do you think you're staring at?" he demanded. 

"That tree over there," said Neemon, pointing. 

A few other people stopped to look, out of idle curiosity. 

"I don't see a tree over there," said Tomoki. 

"I know. It's not there anymore," Neemon replied. 

"Then how are you staring at it?" Bokomon asked. 

"I'm not." 

"Then why are you - oh, never mind," said Bokomon in frustration. "Look, trees don't move, all right? Either there's a tree there, or there isn't." 

"There was a while ago, but there isn't now," Neemon replied. 

"It probably just disappeared into the fog," said Kouichi. 

"Yeah, probably," said Takuya. "You know Neemon - he'd think something disappeared if you threw a blanket over it." 

Neemon blinked. "You mean it doesn't?" 

"This is getting to silly to keep talking about," said Izumi. She turned her attention back to the maps, while Bokomon caught hold of the back of Neemon's pants and began forcibly hauling him along behind him. Everyone else trotted after them, not wanting to be separated in this uncertain place. 

"Are we looking for something in particular?" asked Tomoki, climbing on top of a stump and jumping down from the other side. 

"A big rock formation," said Izumi. "If we've been going in a straight line, it should be right up ahead somewhere... the map says it's about three miles from the road." 

"I'd say we've been that far already," Kouji said. 

"How do you know?" asked Takuya. "Have you been measuring?" 

Kouji gave his friend a withering look. "My karate instructor makes me run laps. I know how far a mile is by now. I'd say we've traveled about three and a half, maybe four miles by now." 

"Really? Strange," said Izumi. "In that case, even if you're off by a little, we still should have seen them by now. I mean, you can't miss a range of rocks even in pea soup like this. Kouichi, are you sure we've been going in a straight line all this time?" 

"Positive," he said. "Of course, it's possible that this compass doesn't work like it's supposed to, but it acted reliable enough while we were still on the open road." 

"So unless digital miles aren't the same length as regular miles, something screwy is going on," Junpei finished. "Either that, or we're all just getting mixed up in the fog." 

"Maybe we ought to backtrack," Tomoki suggested. "Maybe we did just miss everything in the fog. Maybe the rocks aren't as big as they look on the map." 

"That's possible," said Izumi. "I know we're supposed to be exploring, but I really don't want to get into the parts that aren't mapped!" 

"It would make more sense to stick to the parts that are on the map, anyway," said Kouichi. "I wouldn't hide something in an area I didn't know well, if I wanted to get it back again afterwards." 

"Let's double back, then," said Izumi. "Why don't you take the lead for a while, Kouichi, since you've got the compass? This crazy thing is no help." She glared at the Star of Guidance, annoyed by its failure to fulfil its function. It went on sparking and flashing like a handheld Fourth of July. 

The group turned around and prepared to retrace their steps. However, they had not gone very far when they walked into what appeared a large wall. It extended to the left and right as far as anyone could see - which was not very far, considering how dense the atmosphere was, but it was far enough that they couldn't have missed it the first time. Tomoki stepped cautiously forward and set a hand on it. It was cold, rough, and solid beneath his fingers. Moss and dry tendrils of vines clung to it, as if it had been there since time began. 

"When did that get there?" asked Takuya. He kicked the wall. It remained steadfastly where it was. "It wasn't here ten minutes ago." 

"This is weird," Junpei complained. "We're getting lost!" 

"There has got to be a rational explanation for this," said Kouji. "We have not gone far enough to get this much off the track!" 

"Maybe Neemon was right," said Tomoki. "Maybe things _are_ moving around out here." 

"That's impossible," said Bokomon. "Trees just don't get up... and..." 

He trailed off. Just up ahead, a tree was rocking about on its roots. With a great heave, it uprooted itself entirely and began shuffling off into the fog, its branches rustling softly as it went. A soft tittering noise drew everyone's attention to one side, where a cluster of flowering shrubs got up and ran off, giggling. A few minutes later, a new collection of shrubbery flapped down out of the sky to take its place. 

"Ooh, I don't like this at all," Neemon wailed. "This place is haunted!" 

"It's not haunted," said Bokomon. "It's _alive_. I can't believe I didn't see it before..." 

"Feel free to clue us in any time," said Kouji. 

"Aren't you paying attention?" Bokomon replied. "It's obvious. The reason this forest seems so empty is because all the Digimon are in hiding - hiding in plain sight. The trees, the plants, the rocks... they're all Digimon. Woodmon, or Palmon, or Deramon, just pretending to be plants and things." 

"So that's why the scenery keeps changing," said Takuya. "It's getting up and walking around... but... wait a minute. Doesn't that mean that this wall is actually...?" 

The "wall" he'd been investigating twitched suddenly. With a great yawn, a section of it stood up, sleepily blinking a pair of eyes that had not been visible before. The creature turned ponderously around to glare at Takuya. It seemed to take a moment for the thing to realize what it was looking at, and then it scowled. 

"Somebody 'sturbed my nap," it grunted. "Don' lika be 'sturbed." 

"Uh-oh," said Junpei. "Rockmon." 

"You woked me," said the Rockmon to Takuya. "Me don' lika be woked. Wut you gon' do about it?" 

"Er... apologize nicely and promise not to let it happen again?" said Takuya. 

That apparently was not what the Rockmon wanted to hear - either that, or its sleepy brain wasn't up to processing the idea. It lurched to its feet, disturbing a few of its fellows in the process, who also began waking up. They grumbled sleepily, obviously no happier at being awakened than the first Rockmon. One by one, they stood up and began stretching their limbs... and looking around for the source of the disturbance. 

"I think we have a problem," said Kouichi. "Somebody tell me one of you guys knows how to deal with Rockmon!" 

"Not without evolving!" Junpei replied. 

"I don't think even if we evolved, we could deal with that," said Izumi. 

The Rockmon were now lurching forward - slowly, just now, as they got their heavy limbs into motion, but they were gradually picking up speed. The one who had awakened first was taking its first steps toward Takuya, who backed away quickly. 

"If anyone has any ideas, I'm open for suggestions!" he said, as he ducked under a swipe of its massive hand. 

"I have one," said Kouji. "Let's get the heck out of here!" 

He dove out of the way, just in time to avoid being stomped on by another Rockmon. He snatched up Neemon, who was still gazing at the Rockmon in an attitude that suggested he still hadn't worked out that the wall they'd been blocked by was alive. Kouichi rescued Bokomon, who was cowering in terror, and the two of them made a run for it. Behind them, they could hear the pattering of footfalls as the rest of the group chased behind them. 

"Is everyone still back there?" Kouji called. 

He received a chorus of agreement; everyone was following in his footsteps. Confident that his friends were close by, he picked up his pace. Soon the slow-footed Rockmon were left far behind. The humans went on a little further anyway, until they came to a clearing that was plainly clear of anything but moss, and even the fog was a little thinner than it had been before. They gathered there to collect their wits and wait for their hearts to stop pounding. 

"Did we lose them?" asked Izumi. 

They listened a moment. All was perfectly silent once more. 

"Yeah, it sounds like we gave them the slip," said Takuya. "Good thing, too. Last time we had to mess with Rockmon, it took everything we had to get rid of them. I don't know what we would have done if Junpei hadn't... uh-oh." 

"What do you mean, uh-oh?" Tomoki asked. 

"I just looked around, and it looks like we're missing someone," said Takuya. 

Everyone looked. Sure enough, there was a noticeable gap in their group. Junpei had disappeared.

* * *

Junpei sat up and spat out a mouthful of mud and dead leaves, and then spat some more as he tried in vain to get the moldy taste off his tongue. He had been keeping up with the rest of his friends just fine until his foot had caught on a root, sending him sprawling. He would have suspected that the root had simply been there, and he had missed it in his hurry and in the fog, if he hadn't heard something near by giggle and run off into the forest. He hoped that whatever it had been, he had hurt it as much tripping over it as he'd hurt himself when he fell on his face. 

_I have all the luck,_ he thought. _First that Strikedramon, now this!_

"Hey, guys, wait up!" he called, and began running again. He thought he could still hear their footsteps in the distance, even though the fog blotted them from sight. The further he ran, however, the fainter the noise got, until it faded out altogether. Still, he kept moving, certain that they had to be just up ahead of him, somewhere out of sight. Sooner or later, they would realize he wasn't with them anymore. They would stop and wait for him to catch up to him. They would never leave him behind in a place like this... 

He stopped running. There was no sound anymore but a nearly inaudible dripping sound as condensed moisture fell from the leaves of trees. 

"Guys?" he called. "Hey, guys... don't leave me out here..." 

There was no answer. No one had heard him.

* * *

"Well, now what do we do?" said Izumi irritably. 

Takuya shrugged. "Go back and look for him, I guess. He can't have gone too far, right?" 

"In this mess?" Kouji said. "He could be anywhere by now! We could walk within ten feet of him and not see him!" 

"Assuming we were being perfectly silent and tiptoed past him," said Kouichi. 

"What if a Digimon got him?" asked Tomoki, eyes wide. 

Kouji looked grim. "If he's hurt somewhere, he might not be able to hear us or call out to us... This is my fault. I was so worried about getting away, I didn't bother to make sure everyone was following..." 

"It's not as if the rest of us weren't right there with you," said Takuya. "We were all in a hurry and we couldn't see very well, so don't go trying to pretend it's all your fault." 

"I guess we'd better start searching," said Tomoki, looking speculatively back the way they had come. "I hope he hasn't gone too far off track..." 

"I think the best thing to do would be to sort of move out in a spiral," said Kouichi thoughtfully. "If we can do that without getting completely lost." 

"Too bad I can't evolve," said Takuya. "Flamon's got one heck of a nose. I bet he could sniff him out in no time." 

"That's the last thing we need," Kouji said. "You'd run off and get lost, and then there'd be two of you gone." 

Takuya shrugged. "I don't think I could do it, anyway. It's too wet out here." 

"Oh, this is getting us nowhere," said Izumi angrily. She snatched up the Star pendant and glared at it. "Listen to me, you stupid thing! You're supposed to help us find things when we need them, and all you've been doing is sparking like some kind of deranged Christmas tree ornament! I don't know what your problem is, but right now, I don't care where those stupid Fabled Artifacts are! You're supposed to guide us to what we really need most. Right now, what we need most is to get our friend back, and I say you will do it! Do you hear me? Quit goofing off and show us where Junpei is!" 

The Star's glittering slowly halted, and became a steady glow. A beam of light shot from it that cut through the fog, reaching far off into the distance. It pulsed a few times - rather impatiently, as if wanting to make sure everyone was getting the message. Then it faded away, leaving things just as they were before. 

"Well," she said. "I guess we go that way." 

Kouji looked at his brother. "Kouichi, did you get a fix on the beam?" 

"Yeah. It's due north-northwest from here," Kouichi replied. 

"Fine. You go ahead in front of us and keep us on course," said Kouji. "The rest of us had better stay close behind, so we don't get separated again." 

"Maybe this will help," Tomoki offered. He rummaged in is bag and pulled out his trusty rope. 

"Yeah, that's the ticket!" said Takuya. 

They strung themselves out along the length of the rope, each keeping a firm hold on it. Bokomon and Neemon were forced to walk along in the rear, carrying the slack; they were too short to hold on to the parts that were being held above their heads by their taller human companions. It was an awkward way to travel, as they were forced to steer clear of bramble patches and anything else that the rope might snag on, but no one was willing to risk losing any more members of their party. 

The further into the forest they went, the thicker and older the trees became. None of the children had seen trees like this since they had last visited the Forest Terminal. Like those arboreal giants, some of these trees were large enough to hollow out and turn into living quarters. The trees in the Forest Terminal, though, had possessed a lively air about them. They looked polished, somehow, as if they lived in an eternal spring of warm sunshine and cleansing rains. These trees had a more timeless air about them. Moss grew so heavily on them that they seemed more green than brown, and tendrils of vines and strange mosses hung from their branches, which themselves were thick enough to have made respectable trees back in Tokyo. The air seemed thicker here, not just with fog, but with _age_. The group found themselves moving a little slower, breathing with more difficulty. There was a feeling here that this was less of a forest, and more the place old trees came to die. 

One of these behemoths, a gnarled specimen with a spidery mass of aerial roots at its base, was squarely blocking their path. It didn't seem to be as tall as some of the other trees nearby, but it was still quite thick, and no one really liked the idea of having to get so far off track by cutting a wide circle around it. Instead, they opted to clamber over its many roots, as close to the base as they could manage. It was a difficult walk, trying to cover the uneven and moss- covered footing when their hands were encumbered with rope, bags, and in one case, the Staff of Order. It got even more difficult when the roots began to move. 

"Hey, hey, that tickles!" said an aged voice. "Who gave you permission to step on my feet, anyway?" 

Everyone cried out as the roots writhed, bucked, and finally tipped them all onto the ground. They landed softly enough, thanks to the mounds of leaves that cushioned the earth, but they were still more than a little disgruntled at having been thrown off their feet by a tree. 

"What the heck?" Takuya muttered. 

He looked up. The tree was looking back down at them - only it wasn't really a tree, after all. It was a Cherrymon, which was just now blinking curiously as it studied these intruders. 

"Okay, this is different," it said. "I don't think I've ever seen your kind around here before, and I thought I'd seen everything there was to see. What _are_ you?" 

"These," said Bokomon, drawing himself up to his full height, "are human beings from the Real World! I'm surprised you don't recognize them. After all, they _are_ the Legendary Warriors who defeated Lucemon!" 

"Is that so?" said the Cherrymon, sounding impressed. "Human beings, huh? Well, I'm impressed. I didn't think humans could even survive in the Digital World. I guess you just keep learning new things all the time, even when you're as old as I am - and I'm no sapling anymore, I'll tell you! I've been here a long, long time, I'll tell you that!" 

"So I guess you haven't seen any other humans around here, huh?" asked Kouji. "We're missing one." 

"No... no, can't say I have," Cherrymon said. "If one came by here, he didn't step on my roots like you folks did. I was sleeping until you came along. Have been most of the week, I think. Hard to say. Time goes by so slowly here..." 

"I guess we'll just have to keep going, then," said Kouichi. "Sorry to bother you, Cherrymon." 

He started to walk away, but a root swept by and nudged him back into place. 

"Hey, don't rush off so fast!" Cherrymon said. "It's been a long time since I've had someone to talk to. I miss having someone to chat with. There hasn't been anyone here worth talking to since old TobuCatmon went away." 

"You knew TobuCatmon?" asked Izumi. "The explorer? The one who drew these maps?" 

"Yeah, that's the one!" Cherrymon replied. "He and I got to be buddies, way back when. He was a good sort of Digimon. I hated to see him go, but he had that cat's curiosity! I told him, this is no place for an animal Digimon like him, but..." 

"Is there something dangerous here?" asked Tomoki. "Is it something we should know about?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe. Yeah, it might be a good idea to tell you... since you're here and all," said Cherrymon. "See, this forest... it's a strange place. It's been here a long, long time. It's one of the first places to be born in the Digital World. It's a... a sleeping place." 

A flicker of recognition was running across Bokomon's face. "You mean... this is one of _those places_? The legendary resting places of the creators? I didn't believe they truly existed." 

"Well, now you're in one," said Cherrymon. 

"What kind of places are _those places_?" asked Tomoki curiously. 

"Legend has it," Bokomon replied, "that the Digital World was created by four great Digimon of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water. However, when they were finished, their strength was so depleted that they all fell into a sleep so profound that nothing can wake them, and whole centuries pass between their heartbeats. It's a popular story, but to my knowledge, no one has ever actually seen one of these sleeping Digimon." 

"I've seen a sleeping Digimon!" Neemon piped up. "I see _you_ sleep all the time. I tried to stay awake to see what I looked like when I was sleeping, once, but it didn't work." 

"Nobody asked you," Bokomon said. 

"Have you ever seen one of these sleeping Digimon, Cherrymon?" Kouichi asked. 

"Who, me? Nah. I know better," said Cherrymon. "Nobody with any sense gets near the great ones. Even asleep, they're still a force to be reckoned with! They make weird things happen to anyone who spends too much time near them. That's why this forest is so dark and sleepy. This is the place where the Earth Digimon, Xuanwumon sleeps. Only plant and rock Digimon can survive very long here. Even if another kind of Digimon tries to live here, eventually, it evolves into a tree or a stone type. And even the ones who are like that naturally start to get sleepy and forgetful, after a while. They start becoming like the trees and rocks themselves. I think the only reason I've still got most of my wits with me is because I try to talk to everything that comes along. They keep me from forgetting that there's a world outside, beyond the fog. I try to keep them from wandering too far, if I can. I guess I think of myself as kind of a guardian." 

"And that's why you were friends with TobuCatmon?" Izumi asked. 

"Yeah, that's it. He took the time to talk to me - told me stuff that was going on in the outside world. He was a good friend... but his curiosity got the better of him. He had to try to go see the sleeping Digimon for himself. He never came back. Hmm... he left something behind, though. Told me to take care of it for him, and if I ever met anyone who could take it back to his home for him, to give it to them. Since you guys seem to know him, I wonder if you'd do me the favor and...?" 

The group exchanged glances, all of them thinking the same thing: the Fabled Artifact! 

"Yeah, we'll bring it back!" said Takuya. 

"Wonderful! Just let me find it." 

Cherrymon reached up and began rummaging through his branches, shedding a number of leaves and bits of bark. At last, he pulled down a carefully wrapped bundle. 

"Here you go," he said. "TobuCatmon's personal journal. I tried to keep it dry, but it's tough to do in this damp." 

"Personal journal?" said Takuya, squelching his disappointment. 

"Yeah," Cherrymon replied. "He wrote down all of his thoughts and all his adventures in this book. He said he wanted his family to have it if something should ever happen to them, so they could have something to keep his memory alive. For all his curiosity, he really loved his family. He told me one time that of all the treasures and artifacts he found on his journey, the one thing that was worth the most to him was when he found his wife. He was always saying she was a treasure more precious than gold." 

"More precious than gold, huh?" said Kouji. "Yeah, I guess that would be it..." 

Takuya sighed. "I guess we shouldn't really have expected it to be a Fabled Artifact." 

"But the Star said there's one close by!" said Izumi. "It wouldn't have been carrying on like this if there wasn't one nearby, would there?" 

She held up the gem as proof... but even as she spoke, the light went out. 

"Huh?" she said. "What happened?" 

"Well, normally the light goes out when someone finds an Artifact," said Tomoki. 

"But we're not looking for an Artifact right now," Izumi replied. "We're looking for..." 

She stopped. She looked around, seeing dawning horror on her friends' faces. 

"Junpei," Kouji finished.

* * *

Just a few minutes before, Junpei had not been doing much of anything. He was just sitting on a stump, his chin propped in his hands, and feeling thoroughly miserable. He had no idea what he was supposed to do next. Most of what he'd heard involving what he should do if he was ever lost in the woods had instructed him to pick one spot and stay there, hoping someone would come along to rescue him. He was sure his friends would be out searching for him, but what good would that do? There was no way they could comb this whole forest looking for him, and even if they did, the odds they would see him in this never-ending mist were next to nothing. The odds that they would find him before it grew dark, or before a wandering Digimon found him and took exception to his presence, well... he didn't even want to think about it. 

_I want to go home,_ he thought. 

That wasn't exactly what he meant. He didn't want to go back to the place he lived, where his parents were and where he kept his collections of stamps and model trains. What he wanted was to be back where he felt at home, with his friends. He wanted to be with the people who made him feel like he had a place. Until he'd met them, he'd felt lost no matter where he was, and now that he was cut off from them in this strange place, he wasn't just frightened, he was aching with loneliness. 

Wait. Was that a flicker of light? He'd thought he saw something. 

"Hello?" he called. "Is someone there? Can anyone hear me?" 

Dead silence. He must have been imagining things. He sighed and slumped over again, resting his chin on his hands. 

_What if they don't come back for me?_ said a nasty little voice in the back of his mind. _They might decide I'm completely lost, and they'll never find me. They might think I've been eaten by a Digimon already. They might decide it's safer not to try to lose any more of them hunting for me. They might even think I've turned into Mushimon and gone wild. I might never see them again..._

"No, no, no, no, no!" He shook his head vigorously. "They won't leave me alone here! They wouldn't! They promised they'd never leave me. They're my friends!" 

There! There _was_ a flash of light, and it was close at hand. He turned all around, trying to find its source, and his eye was caught by the chunk of grimy metal that was resting by his feet. He still had the peculiar lamp that he had found in the shed. He picked it up and stared at it critically. 

"But you can't be lit," he said. "You're broken. You couldn't light up even if I had something to light you with." 

He realized he was being very stupid, talking to a lamp, but there was no one else to talk to, and he wanted companionship. With nothing better to do, he took out one of his handkerchiefs and began trying to rub some of the dust and cobwebs off of his new acquisition. It was amazing how easily they came off. Beneath the dirt, he was surprised to find that the lamp wasn't made of iron or any such dull metal, but something that glittered gold. 

"I guess we're kind of alike," he said. "Left all alone to gather dust, nobody ever thinking you're important enough to bother with... until someone comes along who can see past your dust and realize you're good for something. That's what a real friend is all about. Those guys really turned me around. I don't know how I ever got by without them..." 

He trailed off, because the lantern was now shining softly in his hands. It wasn't a golden light, like firelight, but something warm and pinkish. If feelings had colors, it would have been the color you felt when someone you cared about had their arms around you, telling you that everything would be all right. Even as he noticed it, the light went out again. He stared at it a moment longer. 

"This... this is not an ordinary lamp, is it?" he said. 

Well, no wonder Izumi's Star of Guidance had been going crazy! They had been carrying a Fabled Artifact most of the day without even realizing it! He thought that if he had been a Star of Guidance, he would have been doing a fair bit of sparking in frustration, himself. 

"What do you know!" he said. "I found the Light of Love all by myself!" 

He looked over the lamp with renewed appreciation. Brushing some more cobwebs off, he uncovered more details. The outside had a curling pattern that made him think of twining vines, in keeping with the design used in the Pool and the Star. There was, however, one detail that caught his interest. The door on the front had a peculiar set of shutters made of glass and wire fixed to it, wedged so tightly in place by years of grit that he had not realized at first that they were moveable. When he cleaned them up, however, he discovered that they would swivel on a pair of pins. Separate, they were nothing but flower petals, but they could be snapped together to form the shape of a heart. He gently nudged them in place, just to see what would happen, but the Light stayed dark. 

"Why does it only light up sometimes?" he wondered aloud. 

He considered a moment. Three times, he had seen the lamp light up. What had been happening in those three moments that was different from any other moment? 

_Those were the times when I was thinking about my friends..._

That made sense. If this was really the Light of Love, wouldn't it naturally respond to those kinds of thoughts? But he'd been told that the Light had been corrupted. Had Bokomon been wrong, or was there something else at work here? He turned the Light over in his hands, looking at the dust and cobwebs and general disrepair it had fallen into. 

"This thing has been alone a long time," he said, thinking aloud. "It's not just corrupted; it burned out entirely." 

Love, even the twisted love of blind obedience and servitude, needed companionship to survive. A person couldn't understand love if they were completely alone all their lives; all they would ever know was the impulse to satisfy their own needs. Even a naturally caring person would turn cold if they were left by themselves for years, with no one to care for or to care about them. Perhaps, just as a normal lamp needed oil for fuel, this magical lamp needed something to fuel its light, too. 

_So it needs love to burn. Could I light it again? Would it do any harm to try?_

Cupping the Light carefully in both hands, bowed his head, and closed his eyes, searching his mind for images that could be used to rekindle the fire. He thought of his mother baking cookies and his father teaching him to build models. He though of his friends, and how it had felt to realize, finally, that he did have a place in the world among people who cared about him. He let his mind linger on each of them in turn: fun-loving Takuya, always ready for an adventure, always willing to protect someone weaker than himself; Kouji with his proud, no-nonsense ways, and his unshakable loyalty to those he cared about; gentle Kouichi, so willing to see the good in everyone; Tomoki, everyone's little brother, with his unquenchable curiosity and ever-ready optimism. His mind lingered longest on Izumi, and that complicated ache he felt when she was around, a feeling comprised partly of joy that someone like her should consider him her friend, and partly of wistfulness that she thought of him as only that. He even brought up images of Bokomon and Neemon, two little creatures with great hearts who had followed their human companions through so many dangers on the strength of friendship. He thought of his love for the Digital World itself, a place that was _home_ in a way Tokyo couldn't quite match. And if that wasn't enough, he added the memories of the first times he had begun to realize that maybe he wasn't just a waste of space, that maybe there was something good about him that was worth liking - the first time he had ever been able to love himself. 

He opened his eyes - and almost closed them again at the shock of the brightness. He tried looking again, cautiously. The Light was now glowing so brilliantly that its metal case was almost invisible against the general glare. It even seemed to lift the fog a little. Dazzling as it was, he discovered that his eyes could bear it, and he found himself relaxing a little, marveling at its beauty. There was something heartening about it, something that lifted his spirits the longer he looked at it. It was reassuring, full of the promise that as much as he loved all the people he had thought of, they also loved him - as a son, a friend, a hero... and maybe someday, possibly, someone would love him as more than a friend. 

He could have happily remained there all afternoon in rapt contemplation, but he was interrupted by a distant sound. A distant sound shouldn't have bothered him much, except that this particular sound was coming rapidly nearer, and it was the steady _whomp-whomp- whomp_ noise that was made by something so large that you could hear its footsteps displacing air as they fell. Junpei couldn't imagine what such a thing would be, and he wasn't looking forward to finding out. 

_Maybe it won't see me. Maybe if I sit really still, it will just walk right past me..._

Who was he trying to fool? He was still sitting in the middle of a dark forest holding a light bright enough to blind someone with. How could he possibly expect anything not to notice him? He should have realized that tinkering around with strange lights was liable to draw all kinds of curious beasties, and he decided a bit belatedly that he should have left his experimenting until things were a bit more secure. Of course, he had Bokomon's word that the Light would drive off anything that was truly evil, but he wasn't fully prepared to put his trust in that, and at any rate was not eager to meet something that _whomped_ under any circumstances. 

While he was still dithering about what to do and trying vainly to shut the Light's stuck shutter, the noisy thing continued to stride closer. He could feel the ground beneath his feet shaking, and as he looked up, he was able to see a great shadow striding through the fog. It wasn't until it had drawn quite close that he could hear a voice - no, several voices - calling over the noise of the thing's motion. 

"Junpei! Hey, where are you? Can you hear us? Junpei!" 

"Guys!" he called back. He got up and began capering around, waving the Light over his head, and generally acting like a fool and not caring one whit. "I'm over here!" 

The whomping thing came closer until he could see that it was, in fact, a huge tree that had gotten up and was striding along on its roots. Looking up, Junpei could see his friends clinging tightly to its branches as their unique mode of locomotion swayed like a ship in a storm. The tree stopped moving as it reached the clearing, and everyone slid down from its boughs and ran over to greet their friend. 

"Hey, he's okay!" said Takuya. "We thought you were monster chow for sure!" 

Junpei rushed over to greet them, and seized the first person who came near enough (who happened to be Kouichi) into a bear hug. 

"I am so glad to see you guys!" he said. 

"We're glad to see you too," said Kouichi, "but if you don't mind, I'd kind of like to keep all my ribs in one piece, so..." 

"Heh heh, sorry," said Junpei sheepishly. 

"You need to be careful. You don't know your own strength!" Kouichi replied. 

"Sorry," said Junpei again, "but I really am glad to see you guys! I thought for a while I'd be sitting here forever!" 

"We were worried about you!" said Izumi. "And here you are, perfectly fine. Who gave you the nerve to be all right when we're all worried out of our minds about you?" 

"Uh... I don't know how to answer that," Junpei said. 

Takuya laughed. "Don't try to think about it too hard - you'll strain your brain. Izumi's just freaking out because she asked the Star where you were, and when the light went out, she thought you'd been eaten by a rabid plant or something." 

"There's no such thing as a rabid plant, Takuya," said Kouji. 

"You know what I mean! Besides, around here, there might be!" 

"Well, I'm sorry I scared you guys," said Junpei, "but I really have been fine the whole time. And hey - I found the Light of Love, too! I ought to get bonus points for that!" 

"So that's why it went out," said Tomoki. "It wasn't because something happened to Junpei. It just stopped going crazy because he finally figured out where the Fabled Artifact was." 

"Yeah, right here in my hand the whole time," Junpei said. 

He gave a significant look to Kouji, who said, "Well, how was I supposed to know? It looked like junk to me!" 

"What matters is, we found it," said Kouichi, "and found you... and found TobuCatmon's journal, too." 

"Then I guess we've done our good work for the day," Junpei said. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to get out of here!" 

"Yeah, same here," said Takuya. "All this fog is getting me down. Hey, Cherrymon, do you know the way out of here? I have no idea where we are anymore!" 

"You're actually not that far from the road," Cherrymon replied. "I don't mind carrying you guys the rest of the way, though. Feels kind of good to get up and stretch my limbs again." 

He lowered his branches enough that they could scramble back into place, and everyone found a branch to cling to as he got moving again. 

"I'm not sure about this," said Junpei uneasily, as he watched the ground swaying beneath them. 

"Just don't look down," Kouichi advised. 

"I don't like this either," said Bokomon. "Is it possible to get treesick?" 

Fortunately, the ride didn't last very long. Cherrymon could cover a considerable distance with his ungainly rocking stride, and he soon brought them to a place where the mists thinned and the more wholesome-looking part of the forest was visible. 

"This is as far as I go," he said. "I don't know my way around beyond the mists, so I'll leave you here. Just keep going straight, and you should reach the road in a few minutes." 

"Thanks for everything, Cherrymon!" said Tomoki. "If we ever come this way again, we'll try to drop by and visit!" 

"I'll be around," he said. "Nothing much ever changes in the Misty Wood. Nice meeting you folks! Good luck with those Fabled Artifacts!" 

They bid goodbye to the friendly Cherrymon and set off in the direction he had indicated. Within five minutes, they were back on the road again, heading for the inn. They returned to find a number of Tailmon, Plotmon, and Nyaramon anxiously awaiting their return. 

"We're back! Did you miss us?" Takuya called jauntily, when they were in hailing range. 

They were immediately rushed and surrounded by a crowd of chattering small Digimon. 

"You made it back! You're safe! Did you see anything? Did you find anything?" they cried, bouncing up and down in their excitement. 

The chief innkeeper came to gently shoo them away. 

"Welcome back," she said. "We're all relieved to see you made it safely." 

"It wasn't so bad in there," said Tomoki. "It's just really easy to get lost. Everything moves around." 

"Did you find any word of Great-grandfather?" she asked. 

"Yeah," said Takuya. He handed over the wrapped bundle. "We met an old friend of his while we were in there. He gave us his journal. Your great-grandfather wanted you to have it." 

The Tailmon accepted the packet reverently. She unbound the ties that held it shut and carefully lifted the cover. Everyone crowded around to see what was written on the pages. 

"I recognize some of these stories," she said. "This is the journal of all his adventures... Thank you, travelers. I'm sure Great-grandfather would be happy to know that his precious journal was safe with his family again." 

"I'm sure he'd be even happier just to know you all are safe and doing well," Izumi said. "He said himself that his family was more precious to him than gold." 

The innkeeper lowered her eyes a moment, momentarily overcome by emotion. When she collected herself, she said, "Is there anything we can do to repay you for this?" 

"Aw, we don't need anything," said Takuya. 

"Except maybe something to eat for lunch," Junpei added. He caught the looks he was getting from the others and said, "What? It's lunchtime. There's no point in trying to live off nuts and berries when we're at a perfectly good inn already." 

"I guess there's sense in that," said Kouji. "Come to think of it, I didn't see a lot to eat back in the forest... and we've got to live off something." 

"In other words," said Kouichi, "you're hungry too." 

The innkeeper laughed. "I'll see what we can find." 

The Tailmon and her family provided an excellent meal for everyone, and the wandering warriors and their companions were able to eat their fill while they listened to the innkeeper reading her great-grandfather's adventures out of his journal. Already they were planning to make copies of it, and Bokomon offered to return one day to help them with the job. When at last they parted company, it was with many exhortations to return to the inn someday and share some more of their adventures. As they set off down the road again, Junpei took one last look back over his shoulder at the Digimon innkeepers, who waved a final goodbye. He smiled. They had all done good work today. They had found a dusty lantern, an old book, and most importantly, some new friends - nothing that looked like anything impressive, but in their own way, each was truly a treasure without price. 

_I guess old TobuCatmon knew what he was doing, when he took up this adventuring stuff,_ he mused. _You never know what you'll find..._

And with that encouraging thought in mind, he turned his gaze forward to the road, and whatever else might lie ahead.

* * *

The adventurers were able to travel a long way that day, owing largely to having actually had a good night's sleep previously, and to having a few more good meals than they'd had the day before. Now the valley was behind them, and below them, and they were scaling the last ridge of mountains before they reached the flatlands. Everyone was eager to keep going, but night had fallen, and the moon was already riding high. They reluctantly chose a campsite and set about scrounging for something to eat. The inn's food, while good enough for guests, wasn't easily transportable (it was difficult to put stew in your pocket and save it for later) so they were reduced to eating whatever could be found. At first, it looked like they might have to go hungry that night, but in the end, Neemon sniffed out a patch of edible mushrooms that was half-buried under a heap of pine needles, and the group was able to pick enough to feed everyone adequately, if not completely satisfy them. 

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" said Takuya, who was cheerfully toasting one of these frilly fungus over the campfire. "Is yours rotten or something?" 

Kouji threw him a sour look. "I don't like mushrooms." 

"What's wrong with mushrooms?" said Tomoki. "I think they're pretty good! They'd be even better if we had a pizza we could put them on, though." 

"I don't like them," Kouji repeated. "They smell funny and they taste funny and they grow on dead things." 

"I figure, if they're going to eat me when I'm dead, I might as well eat them while I'm alive," said Junpei philosophically. He bit a large chunk out of the mushroom he'd been cooking, ignoring the look Kouji gave them. 

"Eat your vegetables," said Izumi in a mock-serious tone. "They're good for you! They'll make you grow up big and strong!" 

"Oh, shut up," Kouji muttered. He took a reluctant bite of the mushroom and grimaced. "Mushrooms aren't really vegetables, anyway." 

"Put up with it," said Bokomon, who didn't seem all that thrilled about the idea of mushrooms for dinner, either. He cast a look at Neemon, who was shoveling them down as fast as he could get them into his mouth. "Tomorrow we'll be in a real town, and you can get anything you want." 

"Sounds like a great idea to me," said Kouji. "How far away are we now?" 

"I believe we've reached the highest part of the pass," Bokomon replied, "provided my sense of direction isn't completely off. It shouldn't be much further before we can look out over the plains." 

"I'd like to see that," said Takuya. "I've still got some energy to burn before we settle down for the night. How about we look around and kind of scope things out a bit?" 

Kouji agreed that this sounded more appealing than sitting around trying to eat mushrooms, and of course Kouichi had to go anywhere Kouji did. Tomoki likewise was eager to satisfy his curiosity about the realms beyond, and Junpei didn't want to be left out. Only Izumi said she'd had enough walking for one day, and said she would stay behind to guard their things and keep Bokomon and Neemon company. 

"Besides," she said, "someone needs to be free to come to the rescue if you guys get into trouble." 

They agreed with this plan, and they all set out in different directions to see what they could find. Izumi remained where she was, staring pensively into the fire, and occasionally feeding a twig into it just to have something to do. Bokomon had taken out his book and was busily writing down what he had learned that day regarding the Misty Wood and the sleeping Digimon. Neemon had stuffed himself with mushrooms until he was ready to burst, and was now dozing contentedly near the fire. All was quiet for a while, save for the crackle of burning wood, the scratching of Bokomon's pen, and Neemon's snores. Then there was a rustle in the woods, and Izumi looked up to see Junpei hurrying back, smiling rather smugly. 

"Hey, Izumi!" he said. "You've got to come and see what I found!" 

She gave him a suspicious look. "This had better not be some scheme to lure me into the woods with you." 

"It's not! I promise it's not. Cross my heart!" he said. "I just found something and thought you'd like to see it, that's all." 

"Do you think our stuff will be safe if I leave?" 

"Sure. We won't be gone long. I just want you to look really quick," said Junpei. 

"Well, all right. But this had better be good!" 

Junpei beamed. "Right this way!" 

He led her into the forest, picking his way carefully through the underbrush and occasionally pausing to make sure they were going the right direction. After a few minutes of this, the ground began to slope sharply upwards, and Izumi found that she was nearly crawling on her hands and knees, at times, just to keep going. 

"Don't worry," Junpei assured her, as he offered her a hand to help her over a particularly rough patch. "It levels out pretty soon." 

"I hope so," she said. 

"Trust me!" 

Sure enough, they reached the top of the hill, and the path became nearly flat. Junpei led her around a collection of boulders, and she found herself suddenly looking out at a star-filled sky. The trees had come to an abrupt end, and the two of them were standing on a little cliff on the side of the mountain. She could see all the way down the side of the mountain, and beyond that, a vast plain of smooth sandy earth. In the moon and starlight, it gleamed like silver, or snow, or stardust. Off in the distance, a collection of lights twinkled softly. Looking up, she could see a vast dome of sky, with stars looking so close she felt she could reach out and touch them, and over everything hung the three moons. 

"What do you think?" Junpei asked. 

"It's beautiful," she said. 

She took a seat on a conveniently flat rock, and Junpei watched her as she looked out over the scenery. He stood a little apart from her, not wanting to break the spell that seemed to have fallen over them. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight. Her eyes seemed deeper than ever, and her golden hair gleamed like a halo. He found he did not want to be near her. She was so perfect and graceful, he couldn't bear the thought of polluting her with his blundering presence. 

_I shouldn't have done this. I don't deserve to be seeing this..._

Then she turned around and smile at him, the playful, amused smile that she seemed to direct at him so often, and was no longer an angel come to earth, but just a pretty girl in blue jeans with wind-ruffled hair. 

"Aren't you going to join me?" she said. "There's room on this rock for two." 

He couldn't think of any reason why he should disagree, so he went and sat down next to her. There was just barely enough room on the rock for them to sit by each other without touching. Once he was settled in place, she went back to looking at the stars, but he looked at her. He was so sensitive to her presence right now that he swore he could feel the air currents from her movements, though it was probably just the touch of the night breeze that made him think that. If he could have found the words, he would have told her how much he loved watching the way the wind brushed her hair over her back and shoulders like caressing fingers, but he couldn't, so he stayed silent. 

"Junpei," she said after a while, "can I ask you something?" 

"Sure, Izumi, you can ask me anything." 

"Remember when you looked in the mirror, and you asked it who the fairest of them all was?" 

"Yeah, I remember that." 

"What were all those images? I can place some of them, but some things I don't really remember." 

"Oh. Well... one of them was the first time I saw you, back in the train station," he said. "I was looking around wondering what I was supposed to be doing, and I saw you. You looked... I don't know, kind of lost and lonely, and I knew what it was like to feel lost and lonely, because I felt the same way. I decided I wanted to go wherever you went, because I felt like maybe... maybe we'd understand each other." 

"You never told me about that," she said. 

He shrugged uncomfortably. "You never asked." 

"What was the other one - the one with me on the bridge?" 

"Oh, that. It was nothing. You probably don't even remember. I was just walking home that day and saw you on the bridge and called to you, and when you turned around and saw me, you smiled at me. Just at me, like it made you happy just to see me. It probably didn't mean much to you, but I lived off that for a week." 

"And what about the white dress?" 

Junpei blushed. "Just my imagination." 

"You really are a hopeless romantic," she said. 

"I know I am." 

"Oh, come on! You don't have to sound depressed about it. It's a good thing." 

"Maybe," he said. "Anyway... those memories are my favorites. They're what I think about when things are going wrong. That's how I found the Light - thinking about all of you guys." 

"Mmm," she said. "I have memories like that, too. And now I have a new one." 

"Oh?" 

Izumi didn't answer. She got to her feet and began walking off. The world felt a bit chillier to Junpei, now that she was no longer sitting next to him. 

"We ought to get going," she said. "The others will be worried if they come back and I'm not there." 

"Right," he agreed. He hauled himself to his feet and began following her. 

She doubled back and started walking toward him again - so she wouldn't leave him behind, he supposed, or because she needed him to show the way back. He was utterly surprised, therefore, when she stepped right up to him and set her hands on his shoulders. 

"We won't tell them where we were," she said. "This is just for us." 

While he was still boggling at this unexpected contact, she made a quick movement, and for a split second, he felt a touch as light as the wind on his lips... but it couldn't have been the wind, because the night air was cool, and this touch was warm as summer sunlight. Then Izumi ran off, laughing, while he was left to stand thunderstruck as he realized what had just happened. 

_She kissed me! She kissed me! Izumi really, actually kissed me!_ And then: _I didn't even get a chance to enjoy it..._

"Hey wait up!" he called, running after her. "Come back here! You can't do this to me! _That's not fair!_" 

His only answer was another peal of laughter. Junpei rushed after her, left once again scrambling ineffectually to catch the wind. 

**

To Be Continued...

**


	11. The Cutting Edge

**

The Cutting Edge

**

**

By: SilvorMoon

**

It felt rather odd to be walking on flat earth again. After days of climbing up, down, and up the sides of mountains, the warriors and their Digimon companions had at last crossed the border into the Continent of Earth, and were now strolling easily across a smooth, level road. Granted, the scenery wasn't so interesting, now that there were no more dramatic slopes to look at, but it was much easier on their legs. After the last few tiring days, everyone was grateful for anything that made their life a little easier. 

"Of course, if Witchmon or any of her friends wanted to spy on us, this would be the perfect place to do it," Kouji commented, looking up at the sky. It was early morning, and the sky was pale-blue and cloudless. Without so much as a tree to block their view, and the air clear, it was easy to see for miles in all directions. It would probably be excruciatingly hot once the sun had risen, but for now, it was rather pleasant to be able to see such a wide horizon. It would certainly make things easier for anyone who wanted to spy on them. 

"Lighten up," said Takuya. "We'll be harder to spot once we get into town." 

"Are we almost there?" Junpei asked. "It's hard to tell. It looks just as far away as ever." 

"We'll be there before lunchtime, at this rate," Bokomon assured him. 

"Good," said Izumi. "And speaking of which..." 

Kouichi laughed a little. "Ever notice we talk about food a lot?" 

"Hey, when you don't know where your next meal is coming from..." Junpei replied. "When we're back home, all we have to do is look in the fridge." 

"You're right," said Kouji. "We should give some thought to restocking our supplies. We won't get far on what we've got, especially if all the terrain we're going to cross is like this." 

Takuya rolled his eyes a little, but said nothing. 

They kept moving. Without landmarks to help them judge distance, it was difficult to tell just how quickly they were gaining on the town that they could dimly see ahead of them, but Takuya knew when they were getting close. It started with a smell of smoke, a scent that somehow made his spirits lift. Smoke meant fire... and civilization, and places where things were being made, and places where people were cooking breakfast for themselves and their families. It made him feel... not quite at home, but as if he were close to something that was home for someone. It felt reassuring. 

Just as Bokomon had promised, they reached the outskirts of the village before the sun had reached its zenith, and were soon mingling with a crowd of assorted Digimon. The main street of the village was filled with assorted shops, and the residents were all out hawking their wares or doing their shopping. Young Digimon played tag with each other in the streets, under the watchful eyes of their parents. For a moment, the visiting humans just stood there to take it all in. 

"Looks like a nice place," said Izumi. "Where do we go first?" 

"Wherever we can get supplies," Kouji said. "Not just food, but anything we might need. A first-aid kit would be nice, if there is such a thing around here. And some gear for getting across this wasteland." 

"Hmm," said Tomoki. "I just thought of something." 

"What?" Takuya asked. 

"If we really need all this stuff... what are we going to pay for it with?" 

There was a pause. 

"Congratulations, Kouji," said Izumi. "You finally failed to think of something we might actually need." 

"Oh, come on," said Kouji, blushing a little. "Even I can't think of everything." 

"Not even something that obvious?" Takuya teased. 

"Well, the rest of us didn't think of it, either," said Kouichi. "I guess we're all so used to finding whatever we need just growing on a tree... I mean, everything grows on trees, out here. Even Digimon!" 

"Come to think of it, some of the Digimon _are_ trees," said Junpei. 

Kouji shrugged. "Well, we're just going to have to work out some way of - oof!" 

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as something walked into him. He turned around to see a large wooden crate. He looked down to see that the crate was being somewhat awkwardly carried by a Gotsumon. 

"Oops! Sorry!" said the Gotsumon. "Can't see where I'm going." 

"That's okay," Kouji said. He had a bit of a soft spot for Gotsumon. "Here, let me help you with that." 

He scooped the crate up, and grunted as he realized how heavy it actually was. It took a moment of careful manipulating before he could finally get a good grip on it. 

"Whew! What have you got in here, rocks?" he asked. 

"That's right!" the Gotsumon replied. "These are uncut crystals. I'm supposed to be delivering them to the jewelers, but they're so heavy! I'm exhausted." 

"How far away are the jewelers?" 

"Just up the street." 

"Then I'll carry it the rest of the way." 

"Would you? That would be such a big help!" the Gotsumon replied. "Hey, do you want to help us out? We have a lot of boxes to move today. An extra pair of hands would make the work go a lot faster! We'd pay you, of course." 

"Hey, that's not a bad idea," said Izumi. "We sure could use some money right now." 

"So you want me to do all the work for you?" Kouji replied. 

"Of course not! There have got to be other people in town who need some help," she replied. "We could all look for odd jobs to run and collect some cash, and meet back up here later to do the shopping." 

"Good idea," said Kouichi. "I'm all for it." 

Everyone agreed to this plan, so they all scattered in search of work. Kouji, Kouichi, and Junpei agreed to go help move boxes of rocks. The others, not so inclined to take on heavy labor, went in other directions to look for something less strenuous to do. 

Takuya found himself wandering the unfamiliar streets, looking at the various shopfronts and wondering what he was going to do next. If he was truthful to himself, he would have had to admit that he could easily have gone with the others who had agreed to help the Gotsumon, but something had told him that he ought to look elsewhere. He prowled around, following a sense that he couldn't quite identify... not until he caught a whiff of smoke on the breeze. He turned, trying to catch it again, sniffing at the air. There! Off to his right. He trotted down a side street, round a corner, and came face to face with a squat stone building. It had a large chimney through which smoke rose in a steady stream, and he could dimly hear the sound of metal clanging against metal inside. A broad door, twice the size of what would have been necessary for a grown human, stood ajar. Takuya pushed it open and went in. 

He was instantly hit by a blast of heat, and his eyes watered momentarily at the combined impact of the temperature and the smell. The air was heavy with the scents of smoke and hot metal. As his sight adjusted to the new light level, he was able to see beyond the glow of at least three assorted furnaces to pick out a number of anvils, workbenches, and collections of tools, as well as heaps of something that could have been more instruments of some kind, or just scrap metal. It took him a moment to realize he was inside something he had read about but never actually been inside: a blacksmith's forge. 

The only noticeable sound besides the rush of a fire was the steady metallic sound he had noticed earlier, that of a hammer beating against a piece of metal. Now that he was seeing the cause of the sound, he began to wish he had stayed outside. Wielding the hammer was an Ogremon, a massive beast at least eight feet tall, with a wild head of shaggy hair and a great gaping mouth full of misshapen teeth. Aside from a ragged scrap of something that might have been leather wrapped around its waist, it wore nothing but its own skin, and it was covered from head to toe in soot marks and the scars of old burns. All its concentration was fixed on a strip of metal that it was beating into a shape that Takuya realized would eventually be that of a curved sword longer than his arm. The Ogremon pounded away at it for a while, eyed it critically, and then thrust it into the flames until it glowed cherry red. Then it took it out and repeated the process. 

_That's the Ogremon I saw in Tomoki's mirror!_ Takuya realized. _In that case, maybe it's my destiny to be here. I'm not sure if that's good or not._

He took a deep breath to try to steady himself, inhaled a mouthful of smoke, and coughed noisily. The Ogremon looked up at him. 

"Uh-oh," said Takuya. 

"Who're you?" it said. 

"Umm... My name's Takuya." 

"What're you doin' here? D'you have a job for me?" the Ogremon grunted. "If you don't, then get outta here. I'm a busy Digimon." 

"I was just looking," Takuya replied. "That is, I'm looking for work. Do you have any jobs I could do for you?" 

"A scrawny kid like you? Forget it. You ain't got enough muscle on you to even fetch coal for me." 

"I do so!" said Takuya indignantly. "I'm _not_ scrawny. I'm a Legendary Warrior!" 

"Huh. You don't look much like a warrior t'me. You couldn't even pick up this sword." He waved at the chunk of metal that was cooling on his work table. "Even if it wasn't too hot for a soft critter like you to touch. Ha!" 

The Ogremon grabbed the heated metal barehanded and thrust it into the flames. His leathery skin didn't seem to take any damage, even when the blade-in-progress began to glow again. Takuya boggled, and the Ogremon laughed. 

"Get outta here, kid," it said. 

Takuya gritted his teeth. 

"You've got to have something I can do," he said. "Give me a chance." 

The Ogremon gave him an appraising look. 

"Y'see that hammer over yonder?" he asked, pointing. 

Takuya looked. There was indeed a tool leaning against the wall that would fit that description, though Takuya wouldn't have necessarily termed it a hammer. A sledgehammer, maybe. A big one. Its head was about the same size as Takuya's. 

"Yeah, I see it." 

"Bring it here, and we'll talk." 

Takuya walked over to the hammer and gave the handle a tug. It didn't move. He pulled again, and managed to drag it a short distance from the wall. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the handle firmly in both hands and managed to lift it a scant inch from the ground, and he began edging sideways across the floor. His hands sweated from the room's intense heat, and from the exertion, and the hammer slipped inexorably to the ground. He had to stop five times to correct his grip and lift it up again. His shoulders and arms burned from the strain, and sweat dripped from his brow, but he did not give up until he was close enough to thrust his arms out toward the Ogremon blacksmith, who mercifully relieved him of his burden. Takuya gave a sigh of exhaustion and shook out his aching arms. 

"You're a stubborn one," said the Ogremon. "Okay, you win. I sold a lotta arrows this week. Now I'm all out. You wanna help, sit over there an' sharpen arrowheads for me." 

He pointed to a bench on one side of the room where a large wicker basket rested, nearly overflowing with metal arrowheads. Takuya went and sat next to it, and the Ogremon shoved a grindstone towards him and showed him how to operate it. Once he was satisfied that Takuya knew what he was doing, the blacksmith shuffled over to continue his own work. 

For a while, Takuya sat quietly, sharpening the blunt arrowheads and tossing them into a fresh basket as he finished them. It wasn't bad work, once he adjusted to the heat inside the forge. The grindstone he'd been given operated by a treadle, spinning around as long as he kept pressing a pedal with his foot. It made a satisfying whirring sound as it whirled round and round, nearly putting him into a trance. Grinding an edge onto the arrowheads was easy, as long as he was careful not to accidentally grind part of his hand by mistake. After a few of those accidents, he finally got the knack of it, and could let his mind wander a bit. He sat and thought contentedly of nothing in particular while he watched the Ogremon smith pound away at what was steadily looking more like a sword. 

_I wish I could do that. It looks interesting,_ he thought. _I'd like to have a sword of my own. A warrior ought to have a sword. Even when I'm a Digimon, I hardly ever get to use weapons. Wolfmon has a sword; why can't I?_

"How long does it take to learn to do that?" Takuya asked. 

"Huh? Do what?" Ogremon asked. 

"Make a sword." 

"Humph. 'Bout like a day to get the idea. 'Bout a lifetime to get it right. Why? You think you're gonna knock out a few this afternoon? Don't make me laugh." 

"I was just asking. Sheesh! No reason to get all touchy about it." 

"You don't know anything. I'm an Ogremon. It's not my nature to be nice. We're rough on the outside and on the inside. You want nice, you go find a Prairiemon or one of those little cutesy fluffy Digimon." 

"I'm sorry I asked." 

"I told you I didn't need any help. It's not my fault you didn't listen." 

Takuya shut his mouth and went back to grinding arrowheads. He had finished about three quarters of the basket when Ogremon called a halt, saying it was time for both of them to eat. Takuya's hand was getting tired by that point, and he was more than happy to follow the Ogremon out of the forge. He led Takuya into a side room full of assorted clutter, mostly bits of metal that looked like half-finished projects, or things that hadn't turned out quite right. A large and badly-scuffed wooden table sat in the middle of it, partly covered in more bits and scraps. Ogremon shoved some of them on the floor to make room for Takuya to eat, and hauled up a crate for him to sit on. 

"You wait," he said. 

Takuya waited, looking around at all the interesting old junk. Most of it looked like trash to him, but a few had the look of something that might be valuable. He was almost certain he saw a golden crown lying in a metal tub full of assorted gears, and there was an elaborately decorated shield propped in a corner, covered in significant-looking runes. A sword in a gold-inlaid scabbard was mounted proudly on the wall, protected by a glass and metal frame. He was still admiring it when Ogremon came back, carrying a huge pottery bowl full of some kind of buns. 

"Food," Ogremon explained. 

He grabbed a double handful and began stuffing them into his mouth. Takuya realized that he was going to have to make do without such amenities as plates and utensils, and also that he was going to have to eat fast before Ogremon got them all. He snatched up one of the pastries in each hand. They were whitish in color and powdery, as if they'd been coated in flour, and each were roughly the size of a fast-food cheeseburger. When he bit into them, he found them to be filled with a mixture of meat and spices - tasty, but strongly flavored. He was amazed that Ogremon could eat them so quickly. Takuya himself thought that he was going to have trouble getting through the two he had taken, hungry though he was. 

_All that smoke must have killed his sense of taste. Smell, too, probably,_ he thought. 

He chewed his way slowly through the first bun and started in on the second one. While Ogremon was paying single-minded attention to his food, Takuya found that his attention kept being drawn to the sword on the wall. 

_I wonder what that's doing up there? Everything in here is thrown around like it's junk, but that sword doesn't look like junk to me. Doesn't he want it? Maybe he made it for someone and they never came to claim it..._

"What's that doing up there?" he asked at last. 

"Huh?" Ogremon paused in his chomping to look at what Takuya was pointing at. "Oh, you mean that sword? That's the Blade of Courage." 

Takuya choked. 

"The Blade of... huh? You mean... that's a Fabled Artifact?" 

"Oh, so you know a little history, huh?" Ogremon said. 

"Hey, one of my best buddies is a historian for the Great Angels!" said Takuya. "I know what the Blade of Courage is. How can you be so casual about it?" 

"Huh. You talk like it's a big thing, having it here. That ain't so. That sword has been in this village for generations. Everybody 'round here knows it's here." 

"Well, nobody told me." 

"Then I know more than you do," said the Ogremon. 

"So why don't you tell me?" 

"'Cause I'm eating lunch, that's why," Ogremon replied. "Gimme a chance to finish first. I'll talk when my mouth ain't full." 

Takuya saw that there was no point in trying to get any information out of his reluctant employer while the Digimon was still eating. He fidgeted in his seat and played with the remains of his lunch, reducing it to crumbs. His host didn't seem to notice, but simply continued eating until the dish was empty. He glared sourly at Takuya, as if suspecting him of eating more than his share. Takuya did his best to look innocent. 

"Either eat that or quit playing with it," Ogremon snapped. 

Takuya quicky popped the crust into his mouth. 

"That's better. Now... you wanna know about the sword, I bet? I could tell you some stuff I bet your friend doesn't know." 

"Please?" said Takuya, thinking he might have better luck if he was polite. 

"Huh. Guess I might as well. Otherwise you'll just pester me all afternoon. 'Course, I could make you go away if you get to be too much of a pest..." 

"I won't be a pest. I promise. I'll even sharpen some more of those stupid arrowheads while I listen." 

"Fine. Get going." 

Takuya got up and scampered back to his place at the grindstone. Ogremon followed him and sat himself on a bench nearby, and picked up a collection of wire pieces and a pair of pliers that seemed far too tiny for his massive hand. He began knitting the bits of wire into a piece of chain mesh as he talked. 

"So. The sword. Blade of Courage," said Ogremon. "That sword's been here a long time. One of my ancestors found it, long time ago. He was out walking in the desert one night and saw it shining in the sand. Who knows how it got there? He brought it home with him, thinking to sell it to someone, but he never got the chance. Too dangerous, see? Soon as he touched it, something bad came over him. Turned him into a whole other Digimon, almost. We Ogremons, we ain't exactly the most sociable of Digimon, but that sword turned him into a real monster. He came roaring back to the village, attacking everything in sight. Just about burned the city to the ground before it was all over. Took the strongest warriors in the village to get him back under control and get that sword away from him. Took all night, too. He came 'round the next morning and saw what he'd done, and he swore that no one should ever touch that sword again. He built a case to put it in and hid it away, so as nobody could find it to use it. Didn't need to bother, though. Nobody in town wanted a weapon like that. Everybody was too scared to try, see. No telling what you'd do with a sword like that. Might kill your own best friend, your family, your kids. Wouldn't know or care. Something like that is no good to anybody. Nobody wanted it. My family kept it for years and years. Never touched it, never let anyone else touch it. Now it's mine, and I don't plan to let anyone touch it, either. Now you know." 

"I guess so," said Takuya. "But, hey! My friends and I were sent on a mission by the Great Angels to find the Fabled Artifacts and bring them back! We've already got a bunch of them - the Star of Guidance and the Pool of Knowledge and the Light of Love, and I forget what else." 

"Great. Bet your proud of yourselves." 

"Yeah. So I was thinking, why don't you give that sword to us? We can take it away and give it back to the Great Angels. Your village won't be in danger from it anymore." 

"Huh. You think so?" 

"Well... yeah." 

"Shows what you know. Look, did you miss what I just told you? If someone holds that sword for long, they go crazy. If something little holds it, they go a little crazy. If something big and powerful holds it, they go totally crazy. D'you think I'm stupid enough to give something like that to someone as powerful as a Legendary Warrior? I ain't giving it to you, and I _definitely_ ain't giving it to any of the Great Angels." 

"Hey, you don't understand! We've already found some of the corrupted artifacts. The Staff and the Light - they were messed up, too. They didn't give us any trouble. Well, the Staff does funny stuff sometimes, but Kouji's got it under control, mostly." 

Ogremon snorted. "Those are different. They don't kill people." 

"Well, they're still dangerous, kind of," said Takuya lamely. 

"My mind is made up," said Ogremon. "My family has pledged to take care of the Blade, and that's what I'm gonna do, no ifs, ands, or buts. Wouldn't give it to you, not if Seraphimon himself turned up and asked for it. So there." 

Ogremon crossed his arms and looked stubborn. Takuya felt his resolve faltering a bit. He was naturally stubborn himself, but he had the feeling that there was nothing on earth that could out-stubborn a determined Ogremon. He sighed. 

"Well, fine then," he said. "At least we know where it is... and I guess it's safe enough here." 

"You better believe it," said Ogremon. He set aside his wire mesh and scooped up the hammer that had given Takuya so much trouble earlier. Ogremon handled it as if it weighed no more than a chopstick; it could have been part of his arm, for all he seemed to notice it. He twirled it around a few times and brought it down on his anvil with a resounding clang to make his point. Takuya winced. 

"All right, all right, I get it," he said. 

"Right," said Ogremon. "Now, get back to work. I don't pay people who don't work." 

Takuya decided that this was all the conversation he was going to get out of his employer, so he went back to work. Round and round went the grindstone, and the number of sharpened arrowheads steadily grew. It was boring work. All the arrowheads were the same, and the job required nothing more than to hold them fairly steady. For a while, he occupied himself with watching Ogremon do his work. He appeared to have finished what he wanted to do with the sword for today, and was now in the process of making something else that Takuya couldn't identify. He watched for a while without coming to any solid conclusions, and after he'd managed to graze his knuckles a few times due to lack of concentration, he turned his mind back to his work. 

How much time had gone by since he had started? An hour? Two? More? Probably more. His hands were getting tired and stiff, and were even bleeding slightly in a few places where they'd been scuffed a few times. His eyes were beginning to feel dazzled from watching the endlessly spinning wheel. It was still oppressively hot inside the building, and his clothes were becoming soaked through with sweat. He desperately wanted something to drink, but he had no idea where to get one in this place, and leaving the building would be an open invitation to have Ogremon do something unpleasant to him. The only other option would be to ask politely and hope for the best. Gathering his courage, he stood up - carefully, to spare his stiff muscles - and walked over to where Ogremon was doing something with some chunks of silver metal. As he got up, one of his hands smacked against the side of a worktable. 

"Ow!" he said, and grimaced. He took a good look at his hands. His right hand was looking more than a little scuffed, and the first knuckle of his middle finger was bleeding freely. 

_Maybe I ought to ask him for a bandage, too. Or some gloves. Probably not. I don't think he'd have any to fit me._

He crept as close as he dared to the Digimon and cleared his throat. 

"Uh, hey," he said. "I don't mean to bother you, but..." 

"What?" 

Ogremon turned around suddenly, nearly hitting Takuya with his hammer as he did so. Takuya jumped backwards, waving his hands wildly as he attempted not to lose his balance. A few drops from his bleeding hand landed in a vat of melted metal. 

"Watch it!" Ogremon snarled, batting away Takuya's hand. The force of the blow was enough to make his whole arm ache. Takuya staggered to stay upright, and managed mainly by running into a wall. 

"You watch it!" he snapped back. "That hurt!" 

Ogremon appeared unimpressed. He scowled down at the pot of liquid metal. 

"You bled in it," he grumbled. "Ruined it! I can't use this, now! Whaddaya think you're doing, you clumsy idiot?" 

"I didn't do it on purpose! You hit me!" 

"That's it! I've had enough! Here!" 

He reached for a jar sitting nearby and scooped out a handful of roughly made bronze coins. 

"Here's your pay!" he said, thrusting it at Takuya. "Take it and get out of here, before you ruin something else. Beat it!" 

Takuya realized at once what the only intelligent option was. He took his money and headed for the door as quickly as he could go. He escaped out into the deepening twilight. As soon as he left the forge, the evening air hit his damp clothes, making him feel as if he'd been dropped into cold water. He took deep, revitalizing breaths, imagining he could almost see the waves of heat radiating off of him. As he reached the center of town, he found a fountain and dunked his head in it, gulping down the cool water until he had chased away the last of that dry, overheated feeling, and came up with water dripping from his hair and down his back. He didn't care; he would have gladly stripped down and taken a bath right there if he had been guaranteed his privacy. As it was, several of the local Digimon were giving him odd looks, so he hurried off to the prearranged meeting spot to see if he could find his friends. 

They were waiting for him at the edge of town, most of them looking almost as bedraggled as he felt, though not quite as damp. 

"Hey, Takuya, where have you been?" asked Izumi. "We were just starting to wonder if we'd have to go look for you." 

"Sorry," he said. "I lost track of time. What have you guys been up to? Did everyone find work?" 

"I got a job in the jewelry shop!" said Izumi. "I got to put up all the new merchandise! It was really fun!" 

"We hauled rocks," Junpei said. "All day. I'm bushed. Man, I am going to be too sore to move tomorrow." 

Izumi poked him. "Don't try that again. You had your day off." 

"He's not the only one who's going to be aching in the morning," said Kouichi, rubbing at his shoulders. 

"We worked on the farm," said Tomoki. "Bokomon and Neemon and I pulled up weeds all day." 

"I wasn't meant for manual labor," Bokomon complained. 

"I thought it was fun!" said Neemon. 

"You would," Bokomon retorted. 

"So where were you all day?" asked Kouji, eyeing his friend's sodden clothing. "Did you get a job cleaning swimming pools?" 

"No, but I wished I did before the day was over," Takuya said. "I took a job working in a forge, and just about melted. Wore a couple holes in my hands, too." He held them up as proof, and was gratified to get a few sympathetic looks. 

"I hope it was worth it," said Kouichi. 

"Oh, it was. I made a few bucks... or whatever they use for money around here," said Takuya casually. "Oh, and I found the Blade of Courage." 

That got the reaction he wanted. He grinned broadly at the dumbstruck looks that surrounded him. 

"You did what?" said Kouji. "Where is it?" 

"On a shelf in somebody's kitchen." 

"And you left it there?" 

"He wouldn't give it to me!" Takuya protested. "I'm not going to argue with a guy who stands eight feet tall and has sharp teeth and horns and carries a hammer about as tall as I am." 

"I guess that would be a problem," said Izumi. "Still. Kitchen?" 

"I guess it was a kitchen. Cross between a kitchen and a shed. We ate lunch there. There was a whole bunch of old junk piled up in there, and in the middle of it all was this sword. I asked about it, and the Ogremon told me it was the Blade of Courage. He said his family has been guarding it for generations." He quickly explained what he knew about the sword's history. 

"Well, that's interesting," said Bokomon. He was busily scribbling in his book as he listened. "I hadn't heard about that." 

"So what do we do about it?" asked Tomoki. "We can't just go in and take it, can we? Not if he's so determined to keep it." 

"It seems to be well protected," Izumi mused, "if it's been here safely for generations. Those Ogremons must be taking good care of it, if even word of it hasn't gotten out." 

"Never quarrel with an Ogremon," said Bokomon authoritatively. "They're surly creatures, even the comparatively good ones. If you make them angry, there's no telling what they'll do." 

"Sounds like the Blade of Courage is in good hands, then," Kouji mused. "Maybe we had better leave it where it is." 

"What? But I thought we were supposed to be finding them all and bringing them back!" Takuya protested. "We can't just walk off and leave one behind!" 

"Why not?" asked Kouichi. "It seems to be safe where it is. Obviously it's not doing any harm, and it's well protected. If it could be dangerous to us, we ought to just leave it alone." 

Takuya pouted. "How can you stand just walking off knowing we left a job undone? We came all this way looking for these things, and now we're just going to say 'forget it' and leave it behind!" 

Kouji cuffed him - just hard enough to hurt a little. 

"What do you think this is, some kind of video game?" he said. "Do you think we won't be able to get to the bonus levels unless we collect all the treasures? Do you think we're being scored on this?" 

Takuya shoved him back. "Did you somehow miss the part where the badguys are out to get us? What happens if one of Lilithmon's loonies comes after us and gets hold of that thing? Do you really think they're going to sit back and ignore something that powerful when it's just sitting out where anyone can take it? Do you really think it's safe here just because one Digimon is guarding it?" 

"So you think it would be better for us to go in and steal something from someone who doesn't want to give it up?" Kouji retorted. 

"If it will keep everyone safer, yes!" 

"You think we'll be safer if we're carrying around a weapon that makes you go crazy and destroy everything in your path?" 

"You think something like that will be safer just lying in a shed?" 

The two of them went into a scuffle. Everyone watched them for a moment as they wrestled awkwardly in the dust. When it went on for a while without showing any signs of stopping, Junpei waded in and pried them apart, holding each one at arm's length. 

"Easy, easy," he said. "We're in enough trouble without trying to kill each other." 

The two boys simmered down, though not without shooting a few dark looks at each other. The two of them might raise their fists against each other in a brotherly scuffle, but no one in the group had ever dared to try to fight Junpei. For one thing, he was generally so willing to agree with everyone for the sake of peace that it was difficult to get properly angry at him, and even harder to have a decent fight when he didn't fight back. For another, on the rare occasions when he did get worked into a fighting fury, he turned into a juggernaut who would fight until he could fight no more, or had pounded his opponent senseless, and didn't care how much he got hurt in the process. One afternoon, he had gone to Izumi's school to walk with her to the arcade where they were all to meet that day, and he had overheard two boys discussing her in terms of what they would do with her if they could get her alone and out of everyone's sight. The resulting encounter had left the two boys with minor fractures and Junpei with a split lip and a severe scolding from the local teachers. He had gotten one from Izumi, too, and then she had gone around the rest of the week bragging about his victory to anyone who would listen. It was possible that working together, Kouji and Takuya could have taken him out, but neither of them felt like trying. 

"That's better," said Tomoki. "You two shouldn't fight." 

"I guess not," Kouji said, sighing. He dusted himself off a little. "Still, you aren't going to convince me that just marching up and taking the Blade of Courage is a good idea." 

Takuya gave him a dark look. Tomoki set a hand on Takuya's shoulder, trying to calm him, and Kouichi went to stand next to his brother. 

"Let's just agree to put it off until tomorrow, okay?" he said. "We're all tired and sore and hungry, and nobody is feeling their best. We'll be able to think more clearly once we're rested." 

"There's a hotel up the street," Izumi said. "I saw it while I was looking for work. I'll bet we've got enough to stay there for the night." 

The idea of rest, food, and a chance to clean himself off appealed more to Takuya than staying and fighting with Kouji here. After all, he could do that any time, and his stay in the forge had left him feeling too sweaty and gritty for him to tolerate. The others were equally enthusiastic about the idea, for one reason and another, so they agreed they could put their differences aside for the time being. 

"Last one there pays for dinner!" Izumi chirped, scurrying up the street. 

"What? Hey, no fair!" Takuya protested. "You're the only one who knows where it is!" 

"Guess I'm not paying, then!" she shouted back. 

Takuya growled and hurried to catch up to her, and the others followed. They could have fun tonight. There was nothing they would have to worry about until morning came.

* * *

It wasn't fun being left alone. Witchmon had always rather suspected this, but since her time spent with Wisemon and Lilithmon usually wasn't fun either, she had never taken the fact very seriously. These days, though, she was beginning to form vague other ideas in her mind, ideas that suggested that spending time with the right people might actually be nice, for a change. She wasn't sure what to make of these sneaking suspicions. All she was completely sure of was that she wasn't enjoying being ignored. 

"I'm _bored_," she complained to the sympathetic Cat. "I want to do something. Lilithmon's off in her room, and Wisemon is messing with his crystals, and nobody has anything for me to do anymore." 

Cat meowed encouragingly. 

"Do you think I should do something on my own?" she asked. "I don't know... They usually get mad at me if I try to do anything by myself. I'd probably just do something stupid and get yelled at, and then Lilithmon will punish me. I wish I knew what it was that makes her keep punishing me. I'd stop doing it. But it's always something different every time." 

Cat meowed again. 

"Then again, they never really told me to stop watching the Legendary Warriors," she continued. "They just kind of stopped remembering to tell me to do it, right? So they can't get mad if I just go out and look, right? All I have to do is look. I won't talk to anyone or anything!" 

Cat purred. 

"You think I'm right, don't you? I ought to do it!" Witchmon decided. "I'll just go out and have a look around, and I'll come right back. They probably won't even know I'm gone. Right? Right!" 

With her mind made up, she sought out her broom, taking a moment to admire its new, shiny, duct-taped surface. It really did look better this way. She couldn't fly it any better, but it was prettier to look at. She picked it up and carried it away to a place where she would have room to take off. 

A few minutes later, Wisemon looked up from his crystal gazing. 

"Witchmon has left the manor," he announced. 

Lilithmon gave him a languid glance. "Do you believe this to be important?" 

"You know how she's gotten lately. Ever since she started having encounters with these humans, she's been getting ideas. She is growing quite unmanageable," said Wisemon. "Do you want me to stop her?" 

"No, let her go," said Lilithmon. "She can cause no problems. She is too weak and too foolish to do anything that would harm our cause. Not only that, but..." 

"But?" 

"If I am going to go out into the world again, I will need all the spare power I can muster. She can be helpful in that, don't you think?" 

Wisemon allowed himself a discreet chuckle. "Quite so, my lady. I see your reasoning clearly now." 

"Hmm, yes. Let her have her moment of rebelliousness. It is inconsequential. If she grows too difficult, she can be dealt with." 

"True. We can always start over," said Wisemon. "But I would hate to do that, except as a last resort." 

"I hope that is not a sign of weakness, Wisemon." 

"No, madam. But it would be time consuming." 

"Yes. Well, we will wait, then. Once I have returned to the outside world, there will be many slaves to pick from, and I will not be so dependent on her. Until then..." 

"Yes?" 

"She should amuse herself while she can." 

"Yes."

* * *

It was comfortable in the hotel. When the proprietors realized that their guests were the same humans who had saved the world two years ago, they were more than happy to let them stay for no more than a token cost, and gave them the best rooms in the house. Takuya had a room all to himself, complete with a private bath - small, but good enough for his purposes. Now he was lying in a soft bed, tucked under warm blankets, with nothing to do but rest his weary muscles. 

He wasn't sleeping. 

_I can't get that stupid sword off my mind,_ he thought irritably. _Come on. You promised you'd talk it over with Kouji and everyone in the morning. Sleep now._

He flipped the pillow over and kicked off one of the blankets, trying to find a comfortable temperature. Then he decided he was too cold and yanked them back on again. They felt crooked and uncomfortable now, so he sat up and straightened them. He lay back down and closed his eyes, but the moonlight through his window bothered him. He got up and closed the shutters. Then he crawled back into bed and closed his eyes. 

_Sleep. Just sleep already!_

It was no good; he was too restless to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he found himself imagining one of Lilithmon's creatures finding that sword and using it to level the village, with him and his friends in it, while they slept. After all, if he could find it without even trying, how easy would it be for her watchers to find it? They already knew she had Digimon watching them wherever they went. Wouldn't she jump at the chance to snatch up an unclaimed Artifact? Witchmon wasn't much trouble to deal with, but surely she had monsters strong enough to overpower a single Ogremon... and if she did, and that monster was able to get the sword, it would be more than the Warriors could do to stop it, in their current forms. 

_Stupid Kouji. Why does he have to be so stubborn? Something that dangerous is safest if we know where it is. We ought to get it before someone else does._

A temptation was worming its way into his mind, and it was becoming increasingly harder to ignore. Why not just take the sword? Ogremon didn't need it; he'd be better of without it hanging over his head like a Sword of Damocles, just waiting for someone stronger than him to come along and ruin everything for him. It would be better just to take it far from here, and to give it to someone strong enough and wise enough not to fall for its tricks. Surely it wasn't really stealing, if he had an order from the rulers of the world to come back and take it? It wasn't really Ogremon's sword; it had belonged to the great ones once, and he was only looking after it until the real owners came for it. It would be all right to take it - not for himself, but for the safety of everyone. 

Before he knew it, he was on his feet and creeping towards the door. Even when he thought about what he was doing, realized that he really was going to go out and take it, he still didn't hesitate even for an instant. He had probably known since he had learned exactly what the sword really was that he was going to take it; he'd just been trying to build up the courage. Courage. Of course, he had to be courageous. No one who was busy fretting and worrying about what could go wrong could take the mythical blade. 

He remembered the way back to Ogremon's forge well enough, even in the darkness. The light of three moons lit everything dimly, and his nose and ears told him well enough which way he was going. Even though the stalls had closed down for the night, he could smell the heavy ripeness of the fruit market, and hear the gurgling of the fountain where he had drunk earlier. The scene of smoke and the tang of hot metal told him when he was getting close. 

As he had hoped, there were no lights in the forge. There wasn't even any sign of smoke, and his sixth sense was telling him that all the fires within the building had been completely doused. Ogremon must have packed up his work for today and gone to sleep. At least, he sincerely hoped he had - otherwise, it would be a little hard to explain what he was doing here at this time of night. Very quietly, he pushed the door open enough that he could squeeze inside, and then shut it quickly behind him. 

Now, where was the sword? In the next room, hanging on the wall. That meant crossing the unfamiliar workshop in almost total darkness. Takuya shuffled along, barely daring to lift his feet in case he were to trip over something, fearing that at any moment he would knock something down and bring an angry Ogremon raging down at him. Miraculously, he crossed the room without doing anything worse than stub his toe a bit on a table leg, and he was able to tiptoe into the room where he had seen the sword. 

It was a bit brighter in here, as light slipped in through a tiny leaded-glass window set high on the wall. It was enough for him to see the sword where it hung glinting on the wall. Takuya shoved the crate he had been sitting on earlier over to the other side of the room, so he could stand on it to reach the glass display case. It was held shut by some crude metal fasteners, easily dealt with. They came open with quiet clicks when Takuya pressed on them, and the case swung soundlessly open. Now there was nothing between himself and the sword but empty air. He hesitated a moment, asking himself if he was really crazy enough to do this. Apparently, he was, because his hand went out and closed around the scabbard, lifting it off of its resting place. Takuya waited a moment. Nothing unpleasant seemed to be happening to him. He jumped down from his perch and scurried out of the building. 

Perhaps some guilt must have been haunting him, after all, because he waited until he was well away from the forge, but not yet very close to the hotel, before he stopped to examine his prize. Takuya stopped in an empty courtyard and sat down on a bench to wait for his heart to stop hammering and have a look at the sword. The blade was about as long as his arm, from shoulder to wrist, and almost as wide. It curved up slightly at the tip. The grip was made with loops of gold wire, and the pommel was set with a pattern of rubies and amber. The scabbard was leather and had similar designs of rubies, amber, and swirls of gold. That was all that could be seen of it without removing it from its sheath. 

"It doesn't seem that dangerous," he murmured, turning it over in his hands. He had been carrying it for a while now, and as of yet, he still felt no particular urge to go out and fight with anyone. That was odd, since Kouji had been affected by the Staff's strange powers almost as soon as he had touched it. Perhaps Ogremon had been wrong - maybe this wasn't really the legendary Blade, after all. Either that, or this weapon, like Junpei's Light, had lost its powers due to long years of disuse. Or maybe Ogremon had just been making up the story to awe a traveler. Whichever way he looked at it, he seemed to have picked up a beautiful weapon, nothing more. 

Feeling a bit more comfortable, he closed his hand around the grip and gently slid the blade out of its scabbard. He was surprised, and mildly disappointed, to discover that there was nothing fascinating about the blade itself - it was plain metal, single-edged, with only a row of unreadable characters up one side to decorate it at all. They were the same kind of mysterious markings Takuya had seen many times in Bokomon's book, and he decided to ask Bokomon to read them for him in the morning. 

"Heh, won't they all be surprised!" he thought. "I got the Blade of Courage, and none of that bad stuff Kouji thought would happen actually happened. I knew I was right. He's so cautious about everything. I'm amazed he ever got on the train to get here at all." He twirled the blade a few times, and moonlight glittered off its edge. Something glittered in his eyes, too. "Stupid Kouji, always trying to hold me back. Well, I'll show him! I'll show everybody better than to argue with me." It was amazing how easily he handled the sword; it should have been much too heavy for him to wield. "Pick a fight with me, will he? And stupid Junpei, getting in my way. I could have taken him. I'll show them. I'll show them both. I'll show them all..." 

He hooked the scabbard to his belt, but left it empty. The right place for a sword was in his hands, where he could use it if anyone got in his way. Nobody was going to get in his way, anymore. Not while he had his beautiful sword.

* * *

Kouichi dreamed. All his life, he had been prone to particularly vivid, memorable dreams, but his stay in the Digital World seemed to have enhanced this aspect of his mind. Perhaps it was something to do with his soul being knocked loose from his body for so long, that made him so sensitive to dreams. Maybe it was related to the same sense that linked him to his brother, which made him more sensitive to his moods and feelings. Whatever it was, he only knew that he had dreams nearly every night, and seldom forgot them once he'd had them. 

Tonight, he dreamed that he was walking through a forest of shadowy trees, strange plants with trunks like twisted sticks of charcoal and leaves the color of ash. They were thinly spaced, with only their haphazard placement to testify that they were growing wild, and not in a cultivated orchard. High above his head, he could see a deep black sky lit with many stars. They were brighter and larger than any stars he had ever seen, either on Earth or the Digital World, and each one was pure white, almost dazzling to look at. If he stared at them long enough, they seemed to form into patterns: a sword, a cloak, a wolf, a cat, and more. He stood for a moment, watching the shifting stars go by. It was a beautiful sight, that dance of light and darkness... 

_Wake up!_

"No, I don't want to. Not yet," he murmured. 

_You must wake up, Kouichi._

"But I'm sleepy... and I want to look at the stars." 

_Your friend is in great danger, Kouichi. You must wake up, now!_

"Danger?" 

Kouichi sat up in bed, staring around his room. For a moment, he was not sure where he was, and whether or not he was waking or dreaming. In that instant, the hazy outline of the Warrior of Darkness caught his eye, but when he looked at it again, it had already disappeared. 

"A dream?" he wondered aloud. It probably had to be a dream. It wouldn't be the first time he had dreamed something so vividly that it had taken him time to work out that it hadn't really happened. Even so, he decided it was probably better to listen to any premonitions he got in this place, where magic was actually a factor in everyday life. He walked out of his room and went to knock on the others' doors. 

He was not completely surprised to find that Kouji was already up, standing in the hall and blinking sleepily. 

"What are you doing up?" Kouichi asked him. 

"I don't know," he said grumpily. "You tell me. I just had one of those feelings that you needed me, so I got up. So what's the problem?" 

"I'm not sure yet," said Kouichi. "I just have a very bad feeling. We should check on the others and make sure they're okay." 

They knocked on the doors of their other friends. Izumi came out with her hair ruffled, looking annoyed at being awakened. Tomoki bounced out of bed as soon as they called him, eager to find out what was going on. It took a while to rouse Junpei, but he finally answered the door and was puzzled why Kouichi looked so relieved. Bokomon and Neemon were disturbed by the noise and came out to see what was going on. But Takuya never answered. All they could find of him was an empty room and rumpled blankets. Kouichi groaned. 

"I knew it!" he said. "I knew something was wrong!" 

"Where did he go?" asked Tomoki, looking around the empty room as if he expected Takuya to be hiding behind the washstand. 

"I'll tell you where he went," Kouji said grimly. "He went after that stupid sword! Argh! When I get my hands on him, I am going to throttle him! He's so irresponsible!" 

"Maybe he just went out for a walk?" suggested Junpei, without much hope. Nobody gave the comment much thought. 

"If we hurry, maybe we can catch him before he gets too far," Izumi said. "But we don't even know where the forge is..." 

"I can help!" Tomoki piped up. He scampered into his room and returned carrying the Pool of Knowledge. He set it down in the shadow of a decorative cabinet. "Mirror, mirror, in the shade, has Takuya got the Blade?" 

The mirror shimmered brightly, showing at its heart an image of Takuya standing in a courtyard, swinging a sword. 

"Well, that answers that question," said Bokomon. 

"Great," Kouji moaned. "Now we're in for it!" 

"I knew something bad was happening," said Kouichi. "We've got to find him fast, before something crazy happens!" 

They sprinted down the hall and out the doors of the hotel, following the Pool's guide. It showed the way in its reflective surface, presenting them with images of roads and alleys, always displaying what was a little bit ahead of them. At last, they reached the courtyard where Takuya had been playing with his new weapon. At the moment, he was involved with systematically hacking apart a nearby vegetable cart and making an incredible mess. He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, and his face twisted into a sneer. 

"Oh, there you are," he said. "I was wondering if you'd bother to show up." 

"Takuya! What do you think you're doing?" Junpei demanded. 

"You mean this? I'm just trying out my new toy," he said. His voice sounded clipped, quite unlike his usual warm, friendly voice. "Why? Are you going to stop me or something?" 

"Come on, Takuya, just calm down," said Kouichi soothingly. "We don't have to fight over this." 

"Sure, you just want me to drop everything and come along quietly," Takuya said. "You probably want me to give the sword back, too, don't you?" 

"It's not yours to keep, Takuya," said Izumi, as gently as she could. 

"Oh, so the stuff you find is yours, but anything I find, I have to leave it alone. Is that how it works? Well, I'm not listening to it! I found this sword fair and square, and it's mine!" 

"So you think just stealing it is okay?" Kouji said. 

Izumi shoved him. "Shut up, Kouji! That's not what he needs to hear right now!" 

"I can fight my own battles," Takuya snarled. "Don't go patronizing me! I'm not letting some stupid girl fight my fights for me!" 

"There's nothing to fight over," said Junpei. "Just calm down!" 

"Why should I? You're just pushing me around again. I'm not going to put up with it anymore! You can't tell me what to do anymore!" 

"Takuya, you've got to put down that sword!" said Tomoki. "It's messing with your mind! It's making you go crazy!" 

"Ha! That's a laugh," Takuya retorted. "The only thing driving me crazy is you chumps. I'm not listening to you anymore! I'm getting rid of all of you - starting with you!" 

He sprang, and there was a rush and a flash as he shifted forms from his human state to Flamon. His entire body blazed with flames, and the Blade in his hand reflected their light. Kouji was almost too stunned to move, but Kouichi reacted just fast enough to push him out of the way. Flamon crashed through the side of a storage shed, leaving a charred hole in the wall. He twitched dazedly amid a pile of packing crates. 

"Move!" said Junpei, giving Izumi and Tomoki a shove. "Get out of here before he comes to!" 

They began to run. Kouichi hauled Kouji to his feet and took off after them. Junpei paused just long enough to snatch up Bokomon and Neemon, and then he, too, began running away. 

"Why do I always wind up carrying you guys?" he complained as he ran. 

"Because you have longer legs!" said Neemon, always ready to supply obvious comments in an emergency. 

The dismayed (and in Kouji's case, slightly bruised) young heroes collected themselves in an empty side street, and stopped to catch their breaths. 

"Now what do we do?" asked Izumi. 

"I don't know," said Kouichi. "I don't think fighting him would be a good idea at this point. It would just make him angrier, and we'd probably all wind up getting hurt... or killed." He shot an anxious glance at his brother. Kouji didn't appear to be paying attention to him. 

"This is my fault," he muttered. "I knew he was going to do this. I knew it! I knew he was going to do this, and I didn't even try to stop him..." 

"It's not your fault for not being able to predict the future!" said Junpei. 

"It was still stupid to try to put it all off," said Kouji. "I know how stubborn he is. I should have known he wouldn't listen to me when he was so sure he was right." 

"Then you were both stupid," said Izumi. "Quit whining about it and try to think of something productive we can _do_ about it." 

"What can we do?" asked Tomoki. "I don't want to hurt Takuya, but everything we say to him just makes him angrier... and if we try to evolve, we might be just as bad off as he is." 

Somewhere in the distance, there was an explosive sound, and a storage shed burst into flames. Junpei watched as the sparks danced upwards. He shrugged. 

"Call the fire department?" 

**

To Be Continued...

**


	12. The Savage Beast

**The Savage Beast**

**By: SilvorMoon**

The night was lit with an unhealthy orange glow. A bell rang wildly, calling all the town's citizens to awaken and seek safety. Some brave citizens had started a bucket brigade, passing water from the nearest fountains and wells to others further down the line, so that they could try to douse the flames or wet the nearby houses to keep the flames from spreading. Children wailed in fright as their mothers attempted to carry them away from the fires. No matter what the townspeople did, the fire kept spreading. 

Meanwhile, the Legendary Warriors were hiding at the end of an alley. 

"I never thought I'd wish to see Ranamon," Kouji said. "I'll bet she could do something about this." 

"Well, she's not here," said Izumi factually, "and we are, so we'd better think of something to do for ourselves." 

Tomoki frowned slightly. "I bet if I turned into Samuimon, I could _snow_ the fires out... but I don't know if that's a good idea or not." 

"You might have to do it anyway," said Junpei, looking up at the firelit sky. "Otherwise there won't be any of this place left." 

"There is that," Kouji admitted. "But if we interfere, it's bound to make him angrier than he already is. He'll attack us again." 

"What we need," said Kouichi, "is some way to get him to calm down for six seconds - long enough to get that sword away from him. I just can't think of a way to do it without getting hacked to bits in the process." 

"I guess hoping he'll get tired and go to sleep is out of the question," said Junpei wistfully. 

"Somehow, I doubt that," Kouji replied. 

They sat there for a moment in dejected silence, each silently hoping that one of the others would suddenly have an idea that would make everything better. In the background, they could hear the rush of flames, the clang of the warning bell, and the hubbub of various Digimon screaming and shouting to each other. One high-pitched wail seemed to be coming slowly closer. 

"Do you hear what I hear?" asked Neemon. 

Kouji ran to the end of the alley and peeked out into the street. What he saw was something like a small fireball heading his way in a hurry. He ducked as it whizzed over his head, and a few seconds later, it collided with a heap of empty crates. Out of the wreckage came Witchmon, still clutching her smouldering broom and dancing around crazily as she attempted to beat out the flames on her skirt. 

"Somebody help meeeeee!" she wailed. 

Kouji sighed resignedly, and then tackled her, shoving her to the ground. She gave a muffled squeak as she hit the hard-packed earth, but thankfully didn't struggle too much, and Kouji was able to beat the flames out. 

"There," he said, standing up and brushing himself off. "Takuya is bad enough; we don't need another person flying around setting fires." 

"I wasn't setting fires," Witchmon muttered, trying to put her hat back on straight. Nearby, her cat was picking his way out of the wreckage and sitting down to groom himself. "I was trying to un-set a fire, but it wouldn't listen to me." 

The others crept out of the alley to have a look at the newcomer. 

"Oh, look, it's her again," said Neemon. "Hi there! What are you doing here?" 

She frowned and looked at her much-abused broom. "I was just flying overhead, and I hit some turbulence. Then I kind of crashed." 

"The fires must be messing with the air currents up there," Izumi mused. 

"You'd be the expert," said Junpei. 

"What's with all the bonfires?" asked Witchmon. "Are you having a festival?" 

"Not hardly," said Kouji dryly. "We're having a problem." 

"Oh," she said. She looked around. "I guess things are a little out of control, kind of." 

"Takuya got hold of the Blade of Coruage," said Tomoki helpfully, "and now he's gone _ballistic_. He's burning everything up, and we haven't figured out how to stop him yet. Got any ideas?" 

"I kind of doubt it," Kouji said. 

Tomoki shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to ask. None of us thought of anything." 

"Well, if we can't think of anything, what makes you think she's going to-" 

"Have you tried the Pipes of Peace?" asked Witchmon. 

Everyone stared at her. She blinked. 

"What? What did I say?" she asked. 

"What have the Pipes of Peace got to do with it?" Kouji asked. 

"Well, they're pretty close by, so I thought you might have tried to use them to get him to settle down. I thought it would have worked," she answered blithely. 

"What do you mean, pretty close by?" Kouichi asked eagerly. "You know where they are?" 

"Sure," she said. "Didn't you?" 

Everyone continued to stare at her. 

"Oh," she said. "I guess you didn't." 

"Are you trying to say," asked Izumi, "that you've known where one of the Fabled Artifacts was all along, and you never said anything?" 

"Why would she tell us?" Kouichi commented. "It's not like she's on our side." 

"That doesn't matter. We need to know now, and she ought to tell us," said Izumi, with her usual stubbornness. "So spill." 

"Umm..." said Witchmon. "I don't really know that much, really. I just know what I heard from Wisemon and Lilithmon, and they don't really explain things to me, so I might have it wrong, but..." 

"I think you're intimidating her," said Kouichi gently, stepping between Izumi and Witchmon. He turned to face the frightened spellcaster. "Just tell us what you know, and we'll figure out if we can use it or not." 

"Oh. Okay. Umm... lemme think..." Her brow furrowed in thought. "Well, the way I remember it, there was this warrior, see, and a musician, and they were best friends. The warrior guarded a city - not this one, see, but another one, out in the desert. A big stone city. The musician stayed inside the walls and would help him relax when he came home. One day, some monsters came and attacked the city, and the warrior killed the warlord and took his sword as a trophy. Only, see, the sword was really the Blade of Courage, and it drove him crazy. The musician begged the king of the city to let him take the Pipes of Peace out of the royal treasury. They had been sealed up in there so no one could use them, but he knew they were the only thing that would save his friend. He took the Pipes and lured the warrior out into a cave in the desert, and then he started playing a song on the Pipes. When his friend heard it, he calmed down and realized what had happed, so he threw the sword out into the desert as far as he could. Then he fell fast asleep. The musician stopped playing, but there were still echoes in the cave, and when he heard the echoes, he fell asleep too. The legend says they've been sleeping there so long, they've both turned to stone. The Pipes are supposed to still be there, but nobody's ever been able to get them out." 

"Why not?" asked Tomoki curiously. 

"Dunno," Witchmon answered with a shrug. "They say there's still a curse or something on the cave, and anyone who tries to go in there will fall under the spell, too. They say the Pipes are still playing in there. I dunno how. I mean, the guy is asleep, isn't he? He can't play music if he's asleep." 

"Do you know where the cave is?" asked Kouji. 

"Well, yeah," she said. "Just nobody goes there because of the spell. Anyone who tries, they come back all sort of droopy, like they just don't care anymore." She shrugged. "It wears off after a little while, but they can never take the Pipes because they always give up before they get to the end of the cave." 

"Would the Pipes of Peace really break the Blade's spell?" Kouichi asked Bokomon. 

"It would make sense," Bokomon answered. "The Blade produces unbridled rage; the Pipes cause unshakeable apathy. The two together would likely cancel each other out. And there does appear to be some historical precedent..." 

"So we need the Pipes," Tomoki declared. "Are they near here? Could we find them, if we looked?" 

"I _guess_..." said Witchmon doubtfully. "If you don't get lost in the desert first. There's a lot of sand out there, you know, and it all looks the same, so if you don't know where you're going..." 

"Great," Junpei muttered. "We'll never find it in time, if we have to search the whole desert!" 

Izumi looked at Bokomon. "Your book wouldn't tell where this cave is, would it?" 

"I'm afraid not," said Bokomon. "I admit to having heard fragments of the legend, but I never knew exactly where the cave itself is hidden." 

"Why are you asking him?" asked Kouji. "_She_ knows where the cave is! We can just ask her." 

"She's under no compulsion to tell us," Kouichi reminded his brother. "She's not on our side. You can't make her tell us anything." 

"We need the information to get Takuya back!" snapped Kouji. "If she doesn't want to tell us, we should _make_ her tell us!" 

"How?" asked Junpei. "What are you going to do, fight her?" 

"Don't you think I could do it?" 

"I don't know if she could fight back," Junpei replied. 

Kouji shot a guilty look at Witchmon and then quickly looked away. 

"I'm not talking about torturing anyone," he muttered. "It's just... we _need_ this. And it's partly my fault that we're in this mess. I've got to do something - and if finding those Pipes is what it takes, then I'll do whatever it takes to get them!" 

Witchmon stared at him. "Did you do something wrong?" 

"Um, well... Kind of," he said. More defensively, he added, "It's no big thing. We just had an argument, and..." 

"And Kouji is blaming himself for something that's not his fault," Izumi finished. "For the last time, it's not your fault Takuya went and did something stupid, and you probably couldn't have stopped him by any way other than pounding him into the dirt... which would have had its own set of problems, come to think of it. So knock it off already!" 

"You had a fight with your friend?" asked Witchmon. "Is that what this is about? That's sad... I don't even have any friends to fight with." 

"It happens, sometimes," said Junpei, "We always patch things up eventually." 

"So it'll be better if you find the Pipes of Peace?" Witchmon persisted. 

"I... guess," said Kouji, who looked mildly confused. He wasn't entirely sure she was still following the thread of the conversation, and he was getting a bit lost trying to figure out where she was coming from. 

"Then maybe I will help," said Witchmon. "I know I'm always messing things up. It would be nice to have someone to help me when I mess up. Besides," she added more brightly, "they only told me I'm supposed to keep you from _looking_ for the Fabled Artifacts, and you'd have to look for the Pipes if I didn't tell you where to find them, so it's better if I just tell you, right? Then you'll already have them, and you won't have to look." 

"Um. Yeah," said Junpei. 

Neemon scratched his head. "I think I almost understood that." 

"Don't bother trying to explain," said Kouji. He turned back to Witchmon. "If you can help, I would... be very grateful." 

Izumi nodded. "Right. So you and Kouichi can go with Witchmon and get the Pipes, and the rest of us will stay here." 

"What?" Kouichi explained. "Why us two?" 

"Isn't it obvious?" said Kouji. "We're the only two who can't evolve. We're of no use here. The rest of the gang can stay here and try to keep Flamon under control and put the fires out." 

"In the interest of historical observation, I think I should go as well," said Bokomon, drawing himself up nobly. "Purely in the spirit of preservation - er, preserving a historic moment for posterity, you understand." 

Izumi smiled a little. "That's all right, Bokomon - we don't mind if you go with them." 

"Well, if we're going, let's go. No point in wasting more time here," said Kouji. "Are you going to walk with us, Witchmon?" 

"I guess I have to," she said, looking gloomily at the wreckage of her broom. "I _wish_ I didn't keep breaking this thing." 

"If this works out, I promise we'll get you a new one," said Kouichi, giving her a reassuring smile. Witchmon beamed at him. 

"Come on, Neemon," said Bokomon. "We're leaving now, before this place burns down around our ears." 

Neemon had gotten bored of the debate and had been sifting through a heap of garbage. 

"I found a pretty bottle!" he said, holding up what appeared to be an empty vinegar bottle. 

Bokomon rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Come on!" 

Neemon sighed and tucked his treasure in the band of his pants, and then went scampering off after his best friend. 

Getting out of town proved relatively easy. Thus far, most of the destruction seemed to be contained in a central area; it had not yet reached all the outlying buildings. Most of the places that were blazing now were shops; losing them would be bad for the community, but few Digimon lived in that area, leaving most of the town time to hear of the danger and escape to safety. The fringes of town were dark and deserted. Soon, Witchmon and her reluctant followers had left the town entirely. 

_This is better,_ thought Kouichi, as he passed beyond the last of the buildings and found himself walking freely under the stars. It was a relief to be out of the town, away from the red glare of the fires. With his back to the blaze, he would have been able to convince himself that nothing was wrong if he couldn't still hear the warning bell ringing. Strange as it was, he felt better now that he could no longer see the fire. Night was supposed to be dark, and the part of him that was linked to Darkness felt bothered that someone had lit things up on such a grand scale. _I wonder how Kouji feels about that? Would he like for things to be lit up, if it didn't mean burning the town down?_

He glanced at his brother and sensed seething frustration. Of course, he wanted to go back and fight, and the knowledge that he couldn't was burning him up in a way nearly as intolerable as the flames would be. The fact that he was being forced to rely on someone he didn't fully believe was trustworthy couldn't be helping. 

"It'll be all right," Kouichi told him. "I don't think she'll lead us astray." 

"I know you don't think that," Kouji replied. "Don't get me wrong - she's likeable enough. She just doesn't seem very reliable. You can't trust someone whose loyalties are divided. Even if she's not leading us into a trap, do you really think she's not capable of getting lost out here?" 

"Well, maybe," Kouichi answered sheepishly. 

Kouji sighed. "I just wish I could be back there helping the others." 

"Just keep telling yourself that this is the important thing," Kouichi replied. "It's not enough to fight right now. This isn't an enemy we can destroy. All the others are doing is damage control; we're doing the _real_ work. 

"I know, but still. Kouichi... why do you think we can't evolve? Why just us?" 

Kouichi frowned a little. "There has to be a reason for it. There must be something special about Light and Darkness that we haven't thought of yet." 

"Hmm," said Kouji, looking speculatively up at the stars. "I wonder..." 

"Now isn't the time to be experimenting," said Kouichi. "Losing Takuya is enough right now. Maybe later." 

"Later," Kouji agreed. 

They plodded steadily into the night, keeping as brisk a pace as they could. The route Witchmon was leading them was off the beaten path, and it was difficult work walking on the shifting sands. Witchmon's tall boots protected her well enough, with Cat riding on her shoulder, and the Digimon had no problem walking on their bare feet, but the two humans quickly found their shoes filled with sand. After a few minutes of this, Kouji finally gave up and stripped off his shoes and socks, shaking them out as best he could and stuffing them into his bag. Kouichi did likewise, thinking to himself that everything he owned was going to be coated in sand after this. It did make the going a little easier. The sand was warm from the day's heat, and powder-soft, but it was still tricky going in places. Climbing up the hard-packed sides of dunes was easy, but on the leeward side, they sank into the soft sand nearly up to their knees. A night wind was blowing, occasionally flicking plumes of sand into their faces. 

"How far away is this cave, anyway?" asked Kouichi, suddenly realizing he should have asked that question sooner. 

"Not far," was the reply. "Maybe, um... four miles? Six? Less than ten. It's hard to judge. I always fly." 

"But it's definitely this way, right?" Kouichi asked. 

Witchmon stopped walking a moment and scanned the skies; her cat raised his nose to sniff the wind. She raised one finger to trace a line of stars, her expression one of deepest concentration. Lowering her gaze, she noted the location of various distant rock formations. 

"Definitely this way," she said at last. "I'm glad the moons aren't bright tonight. It makes it easier to see the stars." 

"That's got to be a useful talent, finding your way around by the stars," Kouichi commented. 

"They made me learn it," said Witchmon. "Stars are important to magic and stuff. It has to do with how they all line up. I forget which alignments have to be where to do what spell, but I can usually remember where the stars are. It's handy when I'm flying up above the clouds. Otherwise I'd get _really_ lost." 

"Hm," said Kouji. "Maybe we should learn that. It could come in handy, someday." 

Witchmon looked pleased, and Kouichi laughed and nudged his brother. 

"That's the first nice thing you've almost said about her," he said. 

"Hm," said Kouji, coloring a little. 

They trudged onwards. Gradually, the ground became rougher, as rocks jutted from the sand. A few formations were higher than the twins' heads. Years of wind and sand had carved them into peculiar formations; in the uncertain light, they looked like hunched beasts or peculiar plants. Others resembled the arches and towers of a mystic city. They would likely have been beautiful in full daylight, but at night, they had a vaguely menacing feel. Kouichi thought it looked like the remains of a forest that had been turned to stone by some strange spell. The wind whistled through these odd formations like demented music. 

At length, they were able to see that they were heading for one particular formation that was much larger than the others, a small mountain of stone that towered over everything else. Even from a distance, it was possible to see that a dark crack ran partway down its center. 

"Is that it?" Kouji asked. 

Witchmon nodded, plainly delighted in having done something correctly for a change. "That's the place!" 

"I thought it would be more, somehow," Kouji said. "Like... I don't know, a secret temple, or something." 

"But it's not a temple," said Witchmon, looking puzzled. "It's a cave. Nobody uses it for much. I think they carved it out a long, long time ago, in the war, to store weapons and things. But not anymore. Lilithmon made me learn about the war, because she was there." 

"I guess _some_ of that makes sense," Kouichi replied. "So the next question is, how do we get in? If there's supposed to be magic protecting the place, it won't be easy." 

"We don't know there's magic. It could be just a story to keep people from going in and messing with the Pipes," Kouji pointed out. "I know if _I_ knew there was something so dangerous nearby, I'd think of a reason to keep people from going in and trying to take them." 

"The correct answer, then," said Bokomon, "would be to send someone in to have a look." Everyone turned to look at him thoughtfully, and he quickly added, "Not that I'm volunteering! You don't want to send me! Even if it was perfectly safe, I'm not the one to go claiming a Fabled Artifact." 

"Well, it's obvious we can't send Neemon or Witchmon," Kouji muttered. "I'm not sure either of them could remember what we sent them in there to do at the best of times." 

"You go," said Kouichi. "I can't imagine even magic putting you off from doing something you wanted to do." 

Kouji thought about it a moment, then nodded. "Fine. I'll have a look. Probably there's nothing there anyway." 

"Good luck!" Witchmon said, and her cat added a yowl of encouragement. 

Kouji nodded in response, and then struck out alone toward the rock. Kouichi, feeling bereft without his twin, stood and kept watch over him as he made his way closer to the cave. 

"There he goes," he said, as he saw Kouji disappear into the cracked stone. 

"I'll take your word for it," Bokomon replied. "I lost sight of him quite a while ago. You really do have the most remarkable night vision." 

"It's only worked like that since I came to the Digital World," Kouichi replied. "I can't do it at home." 

"Even so, it is remarkable," Bokomon said. "But then, very little is known about the effects of humans traveling to the Digital World. Even legends of visits from humans are sparse. Until you all were seen here, we barely knew what one looked like. Perhaps the journey from your world to ours causes some kind of fundamental change that makes it possible for you to do these things. You say it would be impossible for you to do them in your world?" 

"Yeah, magic's pretty scarce, where we come from - if it exists at all," Kouichi replied. 

Inside, he was thinking, _A fundamental change, he says? Hmm..._ He was used to thinking of himself as being no more or less than himself... unless, perhaps, he was using a Spirit to turn into a Digimon. When he was wandering around in human form, he hadn't deeply considered the idea that he would become something radically different just because he'd taken a train ride. He supposed he should have known better, but it was so easy to think that he wasn't different just because he didn't look different. He filed the notion away with the other thoughts that had been simmering in the back of his mind about the nature of this place. 

"Hey, look!" he said suddenly. "Kouji's back!" 

Sure enough, Kouji was walking slowly out into the open again. Even from this distance, Kouichi could tell that he was empty-handed. He watched as his brother wandered around in a small circle before finally picking out a nearby rock and dropping down onto it in an attitude of exhaustion. Kouichi frowned. 

"Looks like trouble," he muttered. "Let's go have a look." 

Despite the troubled look he got from Bokomon, Kouichi raced off over the sand to check on his twin. After a moment of debate, Witchmon scurried after him. The two of them found Kouji still sitting on his rock, staring dully up at the sky. He didn't even notice when they came quite close to him. Cat jumped off of Witchmon's shoulder and trotted up to him, pawing at his knee curiously. There was no response. 

"Kouji?" Kouichi asked. "Are you okay, Kouji? Can you hear me?" 

Very slowly, Kouji focused on his brother. 

"Oh. Hi," he said. 

"What happened to you?" asked Witchmon. 

Kouji thought a moment. "I don't know. Something." 

"That's no good," Kouichi muttered. "Come on, wake up!" 

He waved a hand in front of Kouji's face, and when that brought no reaction, he gripped his brother's shoulder and shook him lightly. The contact seemed to rouse him, and he blinked and looked around. 

"How did I get out here?" he asked. 

"You walked," Witchmon said helpfully. 

He gave a her a glare. Ordinarily, Kouichi might have been a little annoyed, but at the moment he took this as a sign that everything was normal. 

"I know _that_," said Kouji. "I mean, the last thing I remember, I was walking into that cave, and next thing I know..." 

"You don't remember anything at all?" Kouichi asked. 

Kouji frowned a little. "Hmm... I went in, and everything seemed normal for a while. Then I heard a sound. Not exactly music, just like something whistling off-key. I thought it was just the wind, at first - there's a draft coming from somewhere in there - but then I started to feel so tired. I tried to shut it out, but it gets into your bones..." 

"I guess sticking our fingers in our ears won't work," said Kouichi dryly. "Well, now we're in a nice pickle. We know the Artifact is in there, but we can't get it out!" 

"There's got to be some way," Kouji muttered. "I'm not giving up while we're this close!" 

He sat a while in silence, pondering the puzzle they had been confronted with. After a few moments, Bokomon and Neemon decided that the area must be safe, and they crept up to join their companions. Witchmon fidgeted nearby. Kouichi paced restlessly back and forth in front of the cave, occasionally stopping to stare into its depths as if expecting to see an answer down there somewhere. He could hear nothing, but he was sure there had to be something magical at the end of the tunnel. As he walked, he noticed that there was indeed a light breeze issuing from the mouth of the cavern, gently stirring the sand at his feet. 

Meanwhile, Neemon had gotten bored with waiting for everyone to think of something, and as thinking of something obviously wasn't a job he could do himself, he had taken the bottle he had found earlier and was playing with it. He filled it with sand and emptied it a few times, making a series of little piles of dust, but became frustrated when the ever-present wind blew them all away. He tried looking through the bottle like a telescope, but discovered that he couldn't see anything interesting through it. Then he tried blowing over the top of the bottle, and was pleased to find that he could coax a noise out of it. He tooted merrily on the bottle before Kouji finally got annoyed and took it away. 

"Give it back! Give it!" Neemon wailed, dancing around and trying to get his toy back. Kouji held it out of his reach. 

"Not unless you promise to be quiet," said Kouji. "We're trying to think, here!" 

"But I'm bored!" Neemon comlained. 

"Wait a minute," said Kouichi. "I've just gotten an idea!" 

"From an empty bottle?" asked Witchmon. 

Kouichi nodded. "I was just thinking - isn't it weird that wind is blowing _out_ of a cave? There must be another opening somewhere, and the wind is coming in through there. We need to find that spot." 

"What difference will that make?" asked Bokomon. "You'll be able to hear the Pipes no matter which way you go in." 

"I don't think that's what he means," said Kouji, as comprehension dawned. "Pipes make music when air blows over them. That's what's making the sound - wind is blowing through the cave and over the openings on the Pipes. If we can block off the opening, they'll stop playing, and we can get in!" 

"It's worth a shot," said Kouichi. "Let's start looking." 

The four of them split up and began searching the rock for alternate entrances. When a search of the perimeter revealed nothing, Kouji put his shoes back on and climbed up on top of the rock. There, he was able to find a large hole, roughly three feet wide, near the pinnacle of the hill. Kouichi and Witchmon scrambled up to join them, and together the three were able to pile several rocks over top of it, blocking the air flow. 

"That ought to do it!" said Kouji, looking down at the slabs of rock they'd assembled. He dusted his hands off on his jeans. 

"Let's go down and try this again," Kouichi replied. "All together, this time." 

They scrambled down the side of the hill and regrouped with Bokomon and Neemon, who had been watching their feats of mountain climbing from a safe vantage point on the ground. The five of them trooped around to the front of the cave. The breeze Kouichi had noticed before seemed to have vanished. Feeling encouraged, they went inside. 

The first thing they noticed was that it was completely dark. The three moons had lit the desert well enough that the reflective sand made it seem almost as bright as day, but all that stopped five feet through the cave's entrance. Beyond that point, their eyes were useless. Fortunately, the floor was flat and smooth, cushioned by a thin layer of sand that softened any irregularities, and the passage didn't veer in the slightest. It did get wider as they went on, and from time to time, they would come across the remains of some ancient weaponry that had been stored there eons ago, but Kouichi was able to spot and guide his friends past these obstacles. Witchmon, despite her apparent clumsiness, didn't appear to have any troubles navigating by herself. Kouichi found himself thinking about what he'd heard about cats and their ability to see in the dark, and wondered just how closely she was linked to her feline familiar. There had to be something magical about that cat; such creatures didn't seem any more natural to this world than Digimon would back home. 

At last, they came to a place where the tunnel walls opened abruptly into a small chamber. Kouji, who had been using the wall as a guide, almost stumbled as his support disappeared, and Kouichi quickly reached to steady him. Witchmon said something uninteligible, and there was a flash of yellowish light. Kouichi blinked in the sudden brightness, and saw that she had taken out what appeared to be a glass ball, which was shining softly. 

"It's one of Wisemon's," she said, as if she felt it required some explanation. "My light spell hasn't been working very well lately, and this is easier." 

No one bothered to comment. They were looking around the room, what there was of it. It was little more than a roughly carved out circle of empty space, the walls of which were piled with old pieces of armor and weaponry, most of which were showing signs of serious wear. Neemon poked a wooden shield and jumped back in surprise as it crumbled to dust at its touch. Kouichi, however, was much more interested in what was sitting on a pedestal in the middle of the room. 

It appeared to be a simple set of wooden panpipes, stained to a glossy black and held together with bits of thin gold and silver wire. Other than that, they were unadorned, but he knew at once that they were the mythical Artifact he was searching for. He noted with some satisfaction that there was a hole in the wall just across from where they were sitting, suitable for funneling any stray breezes over the openings of the Pipes to call forth the unearthly music that had entranced his brother. 

"Do you want them?" he asked Kouji. 

Kouji shook his head. "I already have one," he said, gesturing with the Staff. "You take them." 

Kouichi nodded - he had suspected all along that things would fall out this way - and reached out to take the Pipes. They felt cool to the touch, and smooth as glass. For a moment, he thought wistfully of how beautiful they must sound, and found himself envying Kouji the chance to hear them. He put the thought roughly out of his mind, reminding himself that he would hear them soon enough, when the time came for them to serve their purpose. The thought nagged at him anyway. Kouichi resolutely shoved the Pipes into his bag where he couldn't see them. 

"Right," he said. "Let's go find Takuya."

* * *

There was snow coming down in the desert. It made a peculiar image: the sandy streets filled with snowdrifts, and gleaming off of that, the reddish light of a fire. Samuimon staggered a few paces towards the next blaze, but he stumbled and fell face-forward in the street. Choumon sighted him from above and swooped down from the sky to land next to him. 

"Are you all right?" she asked. Her insect-like eyes didn't convey emotion very well, but there was concern in her voice. 

"I'm tired," Samuimon said simply. "It's too hot out here for me. I'm running out of strength." 

"It will be okay," Choumon said soothingly. "Help is coming. Here, let me try to cool you down." 

She flitted over to one of the snow piles and fluttered her wings, fanning the cold air in the direction of the little polar bear. Samuimon seemed to revive a little. 

"Thanks," he said. "I needed that." 

"Hey, what are you doing down there?" called a voice from the sky. Mushimon had been hurling lightning bolts down at Flamon, trying to keep him contained, but had been driven back as the heat became too much for him to handle. "You're supposed to be helping me!" 

"Samuimon was in trouble," Choumon explained. "He needs my help, too!" 

"I'm fine," Samuimon insisted. "I just needed to catch my breath. I'll be fine, really!" 

Mushimon dropped down next to them both. He staggered a little as he landed, and managed to prop himself up on a nearby wall. 

"Sorry," he said. "Sorry for yelling. I'm kinda tired, too." 

"Help is coming," Samuimon assured him. 

Mushimon nodded, but the expression in his eyes was faintly puzzled. He knew, somewhere in his mind, that someone had promised to come help them, but the memory of exactly who and how and when was eluding him. All he knew was that there was something very wrong with Flamon, and that he and his companions had to defend him and everyone else until help came. They just had to hang in there. Help would come. 

The next thing he felt was a sudden flare of pain across his back. He slammed into the wall he'd been resting against and bounced backwards, falling backwards in the street. Mushimon found himself looking up at the tip of a sword, which was being aimed between his eyes. 

"Got you now," Flamon hissed. 

Only he didn't, because Samuimon threw himself at Flamon's side and shoved him. There was a hiss as the icy Digimon and the flaming one collided, and they both sprang apart with cries of pain. Choumon fanned her wings and stirred up a rain of cutting scales, forcing Flamon to occupy himself with fending those off while Mushimon struggled to his feet. 

"Are you okay?" Choumon asked him. 

"Fine. He just nicked my shell a little," said Mushimon, twitching his wings in annoyance. The impact had bruised him somewhat, but he was not badly damaged. It was strange that she should be so concerned about a minor scratch, and stranger that he should feel so touched by her concern. She was his battle partner, just as Samuimon was and Flamon should be, but that didn't explain why he should feel so elated just because she was concerned over him... 

"Standing up for him, huh?" Flamon growled. "Fine! I see how it is! Soon as there's trouble, you abandon me! So much for our promise!" 

"Promise?" asked Samuimon. "When did we make a promise?" 

Flamon scowled. "Forgot already? Huh. Figures. Figures you wouldn't remember that we promised always to be together. Forever didn't last long, did it?" 

"But we _didn't_-" Mushimon said, and stopped. He was sure he hadn't made any such promise. Why would they? They were elementals, eternal beings. To make such a promise would be ridiculous, because they were already inextricably linked. They couldn't leave each other if they wanted to. And yet... 

Flamon was so angry. Why was he so angry if he didn't feel deeply betrayed - and afraid? He really did think there was some way to lose them all. 

"This doesn't make sense," said Mushimon. "Are you really Flamon?" 

There wasn't an answer. Flamon frowned, lowering his sword a few inches and looking suddenly uncertain of his answer and everything else he was doing. 

"You can't be," said Samuimon suddenly. "If you were really Flamon, you wouldn't be talking like this. You must be some kind of impostor!" 

"I am not! I am real!" Flamon "Why won't any of you listen to me?" 

"Who are you really?" Mushimon demanded. 

"Stupid! I'm _Takuya!_" 

Meanwhile, Kouji and Kouichi were racing over the sand as fast as they could go. Witchmon had been left far behind; she couldn't travel as fast as they could without her broom, and speed was of the essence right now. She had agreed to catch up to them when she could. Bokomon and Neemon had not been so willing to be left behind, so one rode on each of the boys' shoulders. A guide was no longer necessary; all they had to do was follow the red glow in the distance and the smoke rising into the sky. 

"I hope there's something left for us to save," Kouji muttered. Kouichi nodded grimly. 

They reached the edge of town and skidded to a stop as they paused to check their surroundings. This area of town was relatively undamaged, but the smell of smoke was heavy in the air, hindering their already labored breathing. Kouichi set Neemon back on the ground as he considered which way to go from here. 

"Where do you think they are?" he asked. 

There was a distant crash. 

"I'd say that way," Kouji deadpanned. 

They moved forward again, heading for an area that had once been a marketplace. There wasn't much left of it now, only the scattered remains of stalls and an amalgam of crushed or burnt produce. There was also a certain amount of mud and slush, courtesy of Samuimon's snow- generating abilities. In the middle of all this were four battered figures locked in a furious tussle. It was a bit hard to tell who was on whose side at the moment; the fight seemed to have degenerated into a free-for-all. 

"They've all gone crazy," Kouji muttered. 

"Let's see if we can fix that," Kouichi replied. 

He reached into his bag and withdrew the Pipes. A thrill of anticipation ran through him; he was finally going to hear them work their magic. 

_This isn't for your enjoyment,_ he told himself sternly. _This is for Takuya and the others._

With that thought fixed firmly in mind, he raised the Pipes to his lips, took a deep breath, and began to play. 

Kouichi had never been a musician. His brother had a guitar he played when the mood struck him, but Kouichi's mother had never been able to afford lessons, and he had never shown much aptitude for the subject at school. He certainly didn't know anything about playing the pipes, so he wasn't expecting to make anything like a tune. However, as soon as he exhaled the first breath, the Pipes seemed to take over, filling the air with a sweet melody. It cut through the noise of the battle, the rush of flames, and the rush of the night wind, blotting out all other sounds but its own. He couldn't have described the sound, exactly, but it reminded him of when he was very young, and his mother would hold him in her arms and rock him to sleep. Nothing bad could exist as long as that song kept playing. As long as it lasted, everything would be all right, all right... 

Neemon was the first to go. He listened for a moment, ears quivering, and then swayed on his feet. He flopped to the ground and curled up there, sucking his thumb. Bokomon fell victim to it soon afterwards, sitting down and staring off into the sky, apparently lost in contemplation. Kouji fought it - his face showed that he was desperately struggling against it, determined not to fall victim to its magic again - but at last he dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. Gradually, the fighting slowed, as the four elementals stopped what they were doing to listen to the music. Flamon stared in puzzlement as his opponents turned and walked away from him, slowly fading back into their human forms. He stood alone, panting, staring wildly about in search of the music. 

Kouichi walked forward to meet him. Flamon spun to face him, looking first confused, then infuriated. He rushed forward with his sword raised high, preparing to smite the Pipes and their player to splinters. Kouichi kept playing, knowing that his life depended on it. The music's volume increased, echoing off every surface until the very air vibrated with it, so that Kouichi felt he was breathing music instead of air. A few inches away from Kouichi, Flamon stopped, frozen in mid-motion. Very slowly, he lowered his sword. He slipped it into its sheath. Then he took the whole thing and threw it as far away as he could. There was a flicker of orange flame, and then Flamon vanished, leaving only a haggard-looking Takuya. The magical fires faded into wisps of smoke and blew away on the night wind. Kouichi lowered the Pipes, and the sound faded. 

"Takuya," he said. "Are you okay?" 

Takuya didn't answer. He was staring around at the charred wreckage that surrounded him as if unable to believe what he was seeing. He dropped to his knees, gaping in silent horror. Then he collapsed entirely and curled up into a ball on the ground, shaking. When he didn't do anything else for a long time, his friends crept closer to him, watching him with wide, worried eyes. Kouji hesitantly reached out to touch him. 

"Takuya," he said. "Look at us." 

Takuya slowly raised his head. His face was pale. For a moment, he didn't even seem to realize who he was seeing, but then recognition flashed across his face, and he cringed away. 

"I..." he began, and then choked. He closed his eyes, took a breath, and tried again. Very quietly, he said, "I'm sorry, Kouji. I really don't hate you. I didn't mean it when I said that. I didn't mean any of that..." 

"It's okay," said Junpei. "You didn't know what you were doing." 

Takuya shook his head stubbornly. "No. I did. I knew exactly what I was doing. I just didn't care." He looked up at his friends with fear in his eyes. "Guys, I didn't forget this time." 

"Huh?" said Kouji. "Takuya, what are you talking about?" 

"When I transformed," said Takuya. "That was the first time since I got here that turning into Flamon didn't make me forget. I remembered exactly what I was, and who you were. I didn't forget anything." 

There was an uneasy silence. Everyone looked at each other, uncertain of what to say. 

"Well, it's over now," said Izumi briskly, "and there's still some hours before daylight. Maybe the best thing for you to do is go home and get some sleep." 

"I don't know if I can sleep or not," said Takuya, but he got up anyway. He cast an uneasy glance in the direction he'd thrown the Blade. "We can't just leave that thing there..." 

"I'll get it," said Kouji, and ran to pick it up. 

He felt a moment of trepidation as his hands closed around the sheath, but it seemed to have used up its supply of malice for the night. It felt warm in his hands, as if it had been lying in strong sunlight, but that was all. He carried it back to the rest of the group, and they began shuffling back toward what was left of their hotel to try to get some rest. Their minds, however, were anything but restful. 

"Why didn't he forget?" Junpei asked quietly. Takuya, near the head of the group, didn't hear him. "All the rest of us forgot. Why didn't he?" 

"Probably something to do with the sword," Izumi answered. 

Tomoki frowned. "I don't know. It makes me worry. When we transform to do something good, we all forget. When he transformed to attack us, he remembered everything. If these powers are really for good, why would it happen that way? It just gets harder to remember every time. And the mirror... when we look in the mirror, it shows us as something halfway between a human and a Digimon. I'm starting to wonder... when we change like this, what are we changing into?"

* * *

They stayed for three days in the town, helping with the cleanup. Thankfully, there had been few injuries, fewer that were serious, but a great deal of damage had been done to buildings and wares, and the town's Digimon were grateful for any help they could get in putting things back together. For their part, they only thought that they had been attacked in the night by a stray marauding Digimon. No one but the Warriors and their friends seemed to know what had really happened. 

It was hard for Takuya's friends to guess what was going on in his mind during that time. He worked harder than anyone at the cleaning and rebuilding that was going on, rising before the sun every morning and working until well after nightfall, and then falling into a deep sleep of utter exhaustion. He spoke very little. The Blade of Courage was stored in his room, stuffed under his bed with a stray blanket thrown over it to keep anyone from noticing it, but he hadn't touched it since he had thrown it away. 

"I don't get it," said Izumi. "Why is he hiding from us?" It was the dinner hour of the third day, and Takuya was conspicuous in his absence. "It's not like we blame him for any of this." 

"That," said Bokomon, "could very well be part of the problem. He feels he has done something unforgivable. The fact that we have forgiven him only makes him feel as if we don't properly understand the problem." 

"So what are we supposed to do?" Kouji asked. "Tell him he's a lousy excuse for a person and we're never going to speak to him again? We can't do that!" 

"Somebody's got to do something," said Tomoki. He cast a glance at the stairs that led up to the sleeping rooms, as if hoping to see Takuya come strolling down with his usual careless grin. "I miss Takuya. I don't like it when he's like this." 

"I guess we'd better try to talk to him, then," said Kouichi with a sigh. "It won't be easy though. I think Bokomon's right to say that Takuya's not in a mood to be forgiven." 

Izumi toyed thoughtfully with her spoon, gazing at the reflections in its polished surface. "Maybe there's a better way." 

"What do you mean?" asked Kouji. 

"Does it have something to do with the spoon?" asked Neemon. 

"Yes. No. Kind of," said Izumi. "It put the idea in my head, anyway." 

"I wish I could put ideas in my head with a spoon," Neemon said. 

Izumi ignored him. 

"Takuya might not listen to us," she said, "but I think I just thought of someone he might listen to. Definitely someone better suited to giving him a scolding than we are." 

There was a moment of silence. Then realization slowly dawned. 

"I think you might be right," said Kouji. "Let's go see if we can track him down." 

A few minutes later, Takuya was sitting in his room, chewing disinterestedly at his dinner. In a little while, he expected that he would leave again, and go looking for something else that needed doing. He knew his friends were impatient to leave this place and get on with their mission, but he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet. He had made this mess, and he wanted to clean it up. It was the only thing he felt he could do to compensate for his actions. Certainly he had no more interest in acquiring any more Artifacts. 

There was a knock on the door. 

"Go away," said Takuya. 

"Who do you think you are, telling me to go away?" 

Takuya yelped. A moment later, the door opened without his help - the fact that he'd locked it didn't seem to have affected it much. Behind the door was a familiar presence, though not one that Takuya had particularly wanted to see, and he sat in stunned silence as Ogremon tried to find a way to work his broad shoulders through the narrow door. The top of his head brushed the ceiling, and he had to crouch slightly to keep his horns from snagging the overhead beams. 

"So this is where you're hiding," Ogremon muttered. "Some warrior, hiding under his bed. Knew you weren't up to snuff the minute I set eyes on ya." He set his hands on his hips and leveled a glare at Takuya. "So, what have you got to say for yourself, huh? Lemme guess - you're really sorry and you'll never do it again. Izzat right?" 

Takuya swallowed a few times. Then he took a breath and raised his head. 

"I was the one who stole the sword," he said. "I knew it was wrong, and I did it anyway. You should take it back." 

He crouched to withdraw the Blade from under his bed, carefully undoing its coat of protective blankets. He offered it to Ogremon, who glared at it as if it were something dead and rotting. 

"So, you think that'll make it all better, huh?" he snarled. "Just say you're sorry and hand it back like a good little boy, and everything will be okay. Pfft!" Ogremon spat on the floor. "As if. You can't nearly burn down a whole city and expect to make everything all right again." 

"Well, I don't know what else to do!" Takuya wailed. "I'm doing everything I can, but I can't fix it!" 

"Right," said Ogremon. "No matter what you do, the past happened. You did something stupid, and you're gonna hafta live with that. You understand? Live with it! Don't just hide under a rock and whimper and whine and expect everybody to make a big deal out of you. You're not that special." 

"I nearly burned this place down, and you think I'm not that special?" Takuya exclaimed. 

"Why? You proud of that?" 

"No!" 

"Then why does that make you special, huh? It makes you an _idiot_, is what it makes you, but there are plenty of those around already. Unless you're some kinda firebug that goes around lighting things on purpose, you're just a stupid kid who obviously thinks too highly of himself. Or did you just forget you're not the first one to pull a stunt like this?" 

"Um," said Takuya. 

"Right," Ogremon said. "That's what I thought. Too stuck on yourself to remember that anyone else ever exists. Nobody _ever_ did _anything_ as bad as you did, and everybody thinks you're so important that they're going to keep you in their brains forever and never have anything more interesting to worry about." 

Takuya winced. "When you put it like that..." 

"Thought so," said Ogremon. "So, how long do you plan to sit here and hope everybody's gonna see how noble you are for feeling so ashamed of yourself, and how long is it going to take you to get off your butt and get back to work?" 

"I am working!" 

"Not on what you should be," said Ogremon. For the first time, his hostile manner faded a little. "Got a little too cocky, myself, leaving that sword lyin' around where anyone could see it. You were right about that. Wasn't safe. Oughta be grateful it was taken by someone who didn't want to cause trouble." 

"I really didn't mean to do that," said Takuya. "But does that mean you aren't going to take it back?" 

"Why should I? I don't want it! Nothing but trouble," said Ogremon. "Nah. Take it far away from here. It's safe as long as its in the scabbard. Take it out and hide it, or destroy it. The world doesn't need things like that in it." 

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Takuya. 

Ogremon gave him a glare. "How'd you think I got it up there on the wall in the first place?" 

"Oh. Good point," said Takuya. He put the sword down again on his bed, but didn't hide it this time. "I'll take good care of it. You can count on it!" 

"I know. Takes somebody who's been burned once to know how to handle fire," Ogremon replied. 

Takuya almost smiled. "You said it." 

"So... you gonna straighten up now? Your buddies are worried about you," said Ogremon. "Wouldn't shut up until I came down here and set you straight." 

"So _that's_ how you knew!" said Takuya. "Those guys... All right, all right, you win. I guess I've felt sorry for myself long enough." 

"Good. Otherwise I mighta had to get serious," Ogremon grumbled. "Anyway... while I'm here, I brought you something. Wanted to give it to you earlier, but it took a while to finish." 

"Huh? For me?" asked Takuya, stunned. 

"Yeah. Didn't wanna throw it out, see," said Ogremon. 

He reached into a pouch he wore at his waist and took out a knife in a leather sheaf. It was plain and unadorned, made entirely of some silver metal, with a thin straight blade as long as Takuya's forearm. He drew it wonderingly, as if he'd never seen anything like it before. 

"What's this?" he said. 

Ogremon scowled at him. "A knife, stupid. What's it look like? Hadda do something with that metal you ruined. It's no good for anything else. It's got your blood in it, so it's yours. Figured maybe if you had a blade of your own, you wouldn't have a hankering for other people's anymore." 

Takuya stared at the knife a moment, turning it over in his hands. 

"Yeah," he said at last. "I think this is more like what I wanted than the other thing. I'll take good care of this, too." 

"You had better," Ogremon grunted. "Time you did something right. Now, don't let me catch you mopin' around this place tomorrow, or I'll chase you outta town myself!" 

"I'll go, I'll go! And I'll take that with me," said Takuya, pointing at the Blade. "We'll make sure it's safe, even if we have to destroy it." 

"If you can do that, it'll be more than us Ogremons could do. We've tried," said Ogremon. "That thing's tougher than it looks. You said some of your friends got their Artifacts back under control? That might be the only way to do it. Hiding it sure didn't work." 

"I guess you're right," said Takuya. "Anyway... thanks, Ogremon. For everything. You're a good friend." 

"Am not," said Ogremon, and stomped out the door. Takuya fought a sudden urge to laugh. 

_So, I'm supposed to tame the Blade, huh? Looks like I've got my work cut out for me._

He hung his new knife from his belt, where it would be close by if he ever needed it. He would never let that knife out of his sight from now on - not because he felt he would need to defend himself with it, but to remind himself of what he'd gone through to get it. Then he picked up the Blade itself, careful to touch only the scabbard. 

_To put this to rights, it's going to take real courage. Not just rushing out into battle, but the other kind. Admitting you're wrong, being able to put the past behind you and become stronger, being able to face your friends after you've done something really, really stupid... It's easier to face monsters. But I'm getting there._

He went downstairs. His friends were all gathered around the dining room table, nibbling at the remains of their desserts. They all looked at him curiously as he arrived, and Takuya did his best to look nonchalant. 

"Did you have a nice talk with Ogremon?" asked Izumi innocently. 

"I wouldn't exactly call him _nice_," said Takuya, "but yeah, we had a good talk. Ogremons are smarter than they look. So, anyway, I was thinking... things are just about back to normal here. The cleanup is almost done, and they don't really need us anymore, so I think it might be time for us to hit the road again, huh?" 

Kouji gave him a quirked smile. "And start looking for the last of the Artifacts?" 

"Yeah. I mean, there's only one left, right? Might as well finish what we started, since we've come this far," said Takuya. "I mean, the Shroud isn't even corrupted, so it should be a piece of cake!" 

"You could be right," said Junpei. "Glad to have you back, Takuya." 

"Aw, I just needed a little downtime, that's all," Takuya said. "So... anyway, did I miss anything interesting while I was out? Why is Neemon trying to put a spoon in his ear? Or do I really want to know?" 

His friends laughed. 

"Let me see if I can explain," said Kouji, and, smiling, began to fill him in.

* * *

What became of Witchmon? She never made it back to the town. Not for lack of trying - she and Cat had begun the journey with the intent of eventually reuniting with Kouji and Kouichi and all the rest, and possibly trying to help them some more. She was, after all, a creature of habit, and her memory was hardly reliable. Her training had always taught her to be useful to those around her, but up until very recently, she had never had anyone to serve but her brother and Lilithmon. Now that she was encountering new people, and she didn't quite have the training to help remind her that she wasn't supposed to be helpful all the time. Thus far, she'd wound up helping her enemies so much that it was beginning to become habit for her, and it hardly crossed her mind that she might want to rethink this expedition. 

Then a dust devil swirled up in front of her, and she cringed away from the whirling sands. When it calmed, her brother was standing before her. She got a sudden feeling that maybe she might have made a mistake. 

"Witchmon," he said coldly, "just what do you think you're doing?" 

"Um... I'm not sure I was," she admitted. 

Wisemon sighed. "Really, you're becoming impossible! We send you out to do a simple job, and you do the opposite! We tell you to spy on the humans, and what do you do? Come out in the open and chat with them! We tell you to keep them from looking for the Fabled Artifacts, and you go out and find the things for them! Are you their tame pet now, that you do everything they say? Have you forgotten everything I've told you?" 

"You said it was okay to talk to them," she said lamely. 

"Yes, but I didn't say you should lead them straight to a Fabled Artifact! If you had just left well enough alone, they might have been convinced the Artifacts are too dangerous, and given up. Now they are more dangerous than ever! Do you realize what you have done?" 

"...No?" 

Wisemon sighed. "You can count, can't you?" 

"Yes." 

"How many Fabled Artifacts are there?" 

"Er... seven, right?" 

"Yes, Witchmon, that's right. And how many do they have now?" 

Witchmon counted on her fingers. "Six!" 

"That's right. Now, how many does that leave?" 

"Um..." More frantic calculations. "One?" 

"That's right, Witchmon. Just one. Now, think about that a minute. What do you think that means?" 

Witchmon thought carefully, much longer than she had when she was trying to do simple arithmetic. Suddenly, a look of understanding crossed her face, and she said, "Ohhhhh!" And then, "Oops?" 

"_Oops_ does not begin to cover it," said Wisemon sternly. "You, young lady, are coming home _right now_, and you are going to explain to Lilithmon what you have done." 

"No!" Witchmon began backing away. "Please... please don't make me..." 

"You must," said Wisemon. "This behavior is unforgivable. You are going to have a lesson, and we are going to make sure it sticks." 

Witchmon gave a wail of terror and tried to escape, but something invisible wrapped around her and held her in place. Cat ran back and forth in a panic, torn between the desire to escape and inability to escape his bond to Witchmon. Wisemon reeled her in like a fish on a line. She struggled, her boots leaving trails in the sand as she tried in vain to find a secure foothold. Oblivious to her protests, Wisemon gripped her arms firmly with his clawed hands and pulled her around to face him. 

"I think it's time we put this job into the hands of someone more competent," said Wisemon. "I've tried to be patient with you, dear sister, but you have proven that you cannot be trusted. Obviously even the simplest task is beyond you. I'm afraid Lilithmon and I are both going to have to be very stern with you." 

Witchmon whimpered slightly. 

"This is not going to be enjoyable for you, I'm afraid," said Wisemon. "You've had your problems before, but never of this magnitude. Even I cannot imagine what Lilithmon is going to do to you when she hears of this. All I can say for certain is that this is the end of your chances. From now on..." He hesitated a moment, obviously contemplating something he did not like to imagine. "I see no help for it. We can afford no more mistakes, no more waiting. Next time, I am going to go myself." 

**

To Be Continued

**


End file.
